Trump Suggests Jay Clayton as AI Czar
Trump tells Axios that Jay Clayton would make a good Artificial Intelligence (AI) czar. This was revealed during a report by Axios on Tuesday, where Trump expressed his preference for Clayton, describing him as "a good man."
President Donald Trump (get the details) made this statement after a lunch at the White House with tech leaders, which included Clayton among 31 confirmed guests. Following this event, six executives signed a voluntary AI accord with Trump.
Clayton's Response on CNBC
Clayton, currently serving as the Director of National Intelligence, appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box on Wednesday. He avoided a direct answer when asked if he would accept the czar role if offered by Trump. Instead, he emphasized the national security implications of superintelligence, a term Trump has directed federal agencies to use for AI.
"Super intelligence is a national security issue," Clayton stated. He argued against a pause in AI development within US companies, suggesting that doing so would allow other nations to take the lead.
Background and Role Uncertainty
Clayton was sworn in as the ninth Director of National Intelligence on August 3, 2026. Previously, he served as the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and chaired the Securities and Exchange Commission from May 2017 to December 2020.
The AI czar role's duties have not been officially outlined, despite Trump's claim that he wants to establish a new government agency called the AI Force. The previous czar, David Sacks, also attended the White House lunch.
Ongoing Discussions and Investigations
In response to Senator Elizabeth Warren's criticism of industry self-regulation, Clayton highlighted existing regulatory bodies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice. On Wednesday, the FTC confirmed it is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI labs, adding a layer of scrutiny to the developing AI landscape.