Trump Names Intel Chief Jay Clayton to Head New Super Intelligence Force

President Donald Trump has selected Jay Clayton, the current US intelligence chief, to run a newly created body called the Super Intelligence Force, or SIF. The announcement signals that the administration is treating artificial intelligence and intelligence operations as a top-tier national priority — one that sits close enough to the Oval Office to warrant a direct reporting line to Trump himself.

What makes this appointment unusual is the chain of command. Clayton will report not only to the president but also to Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, essentially placing the SIF inside the innermost circle of White House decision-making. That dual reporting structure suggests the administration wants tight, centralized control over whatever the SIF ends up doing — rather than letting it operate as an independent or loosely affiliated agency.

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Clayton is no stranger to high-stakes leadership roles. He previously served as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, where he oversaw major market regulation, before moving into the intelligence sphere. Tapping someone with both financial and intelligence credentials to lead a body called the "Super Intelligence Force" is an interesting choice — and one that will likely spark plenty of questions about the SIF's actual mandate and scope.

Details about what the Super Intelligence Force will specifically do remain thin, but the name alone is generating buzz. Whether it focuses on AI-driven national security tools, traditional intelligence gathering, or something else entirely, the structure around it — reporting straight to Trump and Wiles — makes clear this isn't meant to be a background operation. Expect more details to emerge as the administration fleshes out the SIF's mission.

Continue reading at Cointelegraph.