President Donald Trump is expected to name Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as his artificial intelligence czar, adding another role to his government portfolio. Clayton is expected to retain his position as DNI while taking on AI policy responsibilities. The role is not expected to cover cryptocurrency policy, which is handled separately by White House adviser Patrick Witt.
Clayton’s potential appointment has renewed attention on his record at the SEC. During his tenure, the agency established its Cyber Unit in 2017 to focus on digital assets, cryptocurrency violations and cyber-related misconduct.
Clayton’s Crypto Enforcement Record
By the end of 2020, the SEC said it had brought 57 cases involving initial coin offerings, blockchain technology or digital assets. The cases included alleged investor fraud and securities-registration violations.
In December 2020, the SEC sued Ripple and two executives, alleging they raised more than $1.3 billion through an unregistered XRP offering. The case continued after Clayton left the agency, with a federal court later ruling that some institutional XRP sales violated securities laws while certain secondary-market sales did not.
From Crypto to AI
Clayton later returned to government as DNI, taking office in August 2026. His expected AI role would place him at the center of the administration’s technology policy while his SEC record remains relevant to discussions about regulation of emerging markets.
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