President Donald Trump has created a federal task force to coordinate the U.S. government’s approach to artificial intelligence, placing Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton among its leaders and widely identifying him as the administration’s new AI czar.
The appointment gives the role to a figure well known in financial and cryptocurrency circles. Clayton led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term, when the agency pursued an aggressive enforcement campaign against digital-asset businesses. According to Decrypt, the SEC brought 57 cases involving crypto firms, initial coin offerings and other blockchain projects during his tenure.
A new federal AI coordination group
Trump announced the “Super Intelligence Force” in a post on Truth Social. The group is intended to coordinate federal efforts to keep the United States ahead in artificial intelligence, although the announcement did not specify a detailed mandate or timetable.
Clayton is listed first among the force’s leaders. Other members named by Trump are Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor.
The group will report to Trump and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Its work is expected to involve federal engagement with consumers, public-interest organizations, religious groups, providers of critical infrastructure and AI companies.
The announcement followed what Trump called the “Historic White House Accord on Super Intelligence.” The president said major technology companies had confirmed their responsibilities to the American people after their leaders met with him at the White House the previous week.
Clayton’s record in crypto enforcement
Clayton’s selection is notable because his SEC tenure helped establish the agency’s enforcement-led approach to cryptocurrency regulation. His most consequential action came in December 2020, near the end of his term, when the SEC sued Ripple for $1.3 billion.
The regulator alleged that Ripple had sold XRP as an unregistered security. The case later became a reference point for lawsuits brought by the SEC under Clayton’s successor, Gary Gensler, against major token issuers and cryptocurrency exchanges.
Clayton’s post-government career also included work with the digital-asset industry. In 2021, after leaving the SEC, he became a crypto adviser to One River Asset Management and joined the advisory board of crypto custodian Fireblocks.
From crypto regulator to AI policy leader
Clayton has also held a senior prosecutorial role. Trump first sought to place him at the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan in 2020, while Clayton was still SEC chair. In 2025, Trump appointed him interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, where his office continued the prosecution of Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm.
His move into AI policy underscores the administration’s decision to place a figure with experience in financial regulation, technology-related enforcement and federal law enforcement at the center of its AI coordination effort. The announcement, however, did not provide further details about how the force will operate.
Market picture
Moneyiar market data at 09:43–09:44 on October 5, 2026, showed XRP at $1.5124446818, up 0.8% over 24 hours and 2.32% over seven days. SUI was at $1.2336445031, up 4.71% in 24 hours and 5.6% over seven days. POL, formerly associated with MATIC, stood at $0.1104726916, up 1.2% over 24 hours but down 1.58% over seven days.
