Jay Clayton testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing to be the next Director of National Intelligence on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in Washington.
Mariam Zuhaib/AP
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Mariam Zuhaib/AP
Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton is the new AI czar in the White House, President Trump said Sunday.
Asset wrote on Truth Social, Clayton will lead the White House’s new “Super Intelligence Force,” a group that will “ensure America continues to lead the world in superintelligence.”
Trump prefers the term “super intelligence” to “artificial intelligence.” He said his “Intelligence Super Force” would “coordinate the federal government’s engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and super intelligence companies.”
Before being confirmed earlier this year as head of national intelligence, Clayton was the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Trump’s announcement follows various statements Technology leaders are concerned about the risks associated with the rapid development of AI, including that it could become malicious. Trump has largely discarded warnings and attempted to reframe concerns about AI.
On Tuesday, Trump met with AI leaders at the White House and said after that executives from several artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary agreement that will include internal and external reviews of their work.
Meanwhile, the White House also launched a revamped government website this week, America.govwhich claims to come from artificial intelligence from “official government sources”.
In his social media post, Trump also named other members of his “Super Intelligence Force.” He said it would include: Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor, and Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael.
It’s unclear what Clayton’s appointment as AI czar means for the AI industry, as current regulation of artificial intelligence by the U.S. government is limited. Congress has not passed federal law broadly regulating the use or development of AI. Some states, including California, have adopted measures regarding AI, including requiring that entities be transparent when used.
In an interview with CNBC last month, Clayton called super intelligence a “national security issue.” He also opposed calls for a “pause” in the development of the technology, pointing out that other countries around the world continue to develop AI. “I don’t think any American should think this is a good strategy,” he said.
In December 2024, President-elect Trump announced that he appoint David Sacks, a Silicon Valley investor, as well as an AI and crypto czarwith the mission of advising the administration on policies surrounding AI.
Earlier this year, Sacks resigned from office and became co-chairman of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. He supported AI leaders Sam Altman and Dario Amodei’s warnings about the technology and the idea of a “slowdown” in AI development. Last month, Sacks wrote on social media that tech leaders should “stop pretending you need someone else’s permission” to take such steps.
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