Trump Considers Former SEC Chairman for White House AI Role

Former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton is being considered for the role of White House AI Czar by President Trump, according to reports. This has caused concern in the crypto community due to his regulatory legacy, particularly regarding the Ripple lawsuit.

Clayton led the SEC when it sued Ripple in December 2020, alleging that they raised $1.3 billion through unregistered securities sales dating back to 2013. The case closed in August 2025 with a $125 million penalty, which was lower than the roughly $2 billion the SEC originally sought from Ripple.

The lawsuit also led to XRP being delisted from major exchanges for two and a half years and delayed its path to spot ETFs until November 2025. Crypto advocates fear that Clayton's strict posture could extend to AI regulation, although it is unclear what his approach would be.