Trump expected to name National Intelligence Director Clayton as first AI czar

The president had suggested Clayton would be chosen, and he's expected to make an announcement on Truth Social as early as Friday.

By Kevin Killough

Published: October 2, 2026 1:19pm

President Donald Trump is expected to name Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the artificial intelligence czar.

The president had suggested Clayton would be chosen, and he's expected to make an announcement on Truth Social as early as Friday, NBC News reported, citing an unnamed source.

The selection comes after executives of major technology companies met at the White House on Tuesday, a meeting that Clayton attended. He would assume the responsibilities of the AI czar role alongside those of his current role.

A White House spokesperson told NBC that personnel announcements would come from the president and "reporting until then is baseless speculation."