Clayton Takes Over as US Director of National Intelligence, Ending Pulte's Acting Tenure

Bill Pulte has handed over his role as acting Director of National Intelligence to Jay Clayton, who is taking on the job full-time. Pulte announced this transition on Saturday and will now focus solely on his position at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Clayton's appointment is notable because he previously led the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until December 2020. On his final day in charge, the SEC sued Ripple for $1.3 billion, alleging that two of its executives had sold about $600 million of XRP without registering it as a security.

The case was settled with a fine of $125,035,150 and an order not to repeat those sales. Clayton's departure from the finance sector marks a significant change in his career path.