Trump names DNI Clayton to head 'Super Intelligence Force'

Clayton adds czar duties while continuing as intelligence director

President Donald Trump on Sunday named Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, to serve additionally as the new White House AI czar. Clayton leads the US’s 18 intelligence agencies and previously served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term.

In a Sunday social-media post, Trump said Clayton would lead what the president called “the Super Intelligence Force (SIF).” The post said the SIF would “coordinate the federal government’s engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers, and super intelligence companies.”

CBS News was the first to report that Clayton would be appointed White House AI czar.

During his Senate confirmation hearing, Clayton told lawmakers that AI was a “gamechanger” but also posed “a threat,” adding: “When something’s both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it.”

In September, Trump announced creating an “AI Force” and a czar to oversee the technology’s growth and monitor for “bad” development. The announcement came after tech industry leaders warned that AI was developing too rapidly to control and could harm humans.

Trump has largely brushed aside concerns about AI development and the construction of data centers that power the technology, insisting that continued development is paramount to defeating China in the global AI race. To address concerns, the president created an advisory committee in addition to the czar, and on Tuesday, he and six executives signed an AI accord at the White House, promising internal and external monitors to ensure the technology is used as intended and any safety issues are addressed.

Trump had initially created the AI and cryptocurrency czar position when he returned to the White House in January 2025. David Sacks, the venture capitalist and tech businessman, served as the administration’s AI and cryptocurrency czar until March 2026, when he reached his employment limit under his designation as a “special government employee.” Sacks still co-chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Trump previously floated Clayton’s name as a potential AI czar, telling Axios in September that Clayton was “a good man” and the prospect of appointing him was “a good idea.” The president had also said the czar would be led by a “High IQ” individual.