Trump picks personal lawyer and former CFTC enforcement chief James McDonald to lead SDNY

The nomination

President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will appoint James M. McDonald as the next United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The announcement, made via a Truth Social post, moves McDonald into a role his predecessor Jay Clayton is vacating to become director of national intelligence.

I am pleased to announce my intent to appoint James M. McDonald as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. I am confident that Jamie will deliver strong results for our Country as the next United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, as he has the respect of, and will work fantastically with, our Law Enforcement Patriots, the Legal Community, and the Judicial Bench.

A second Truth Social post added:

Good luck Jamie. I have no doubt about your future greatness!

The choice requires Senate confirmation. Clayton will remain at the SDNY helm until he is confirmed as director of national intelligence, a nomination Trump made earlier this week.

Who is James McDonald

McDonald is no stranger to the Manhattan federal office. He previously worked there as an assistant U.S. attorney and later served as director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump’s first term. More recently, the Washington Post reports, McDonald was part of the Sullivan & Cromwell legal team that appealed Trump’s 2024 state conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to a hush-money payment. That work made him, in effect, one of Trump’s personal lawyers (the Wall Street Journal and POLITICO both describe him that way).

Earlier in his career, McDonald worked in the White House under President George W. Bush and clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.

A pattern of loyalists

McDonald’s selection continues a well-established pattern: Trump has repeatedly placed members of his personal legal circle into powerful government posts. Todd Blanche, who represented Trump in the 2024 New York trial, has been tapped to serve as U.S. attorney general. Former Trump lawyers Emil Bove and Matthew Schwartz have been picked for federal judgeships, and Trump sought to install his attorney Lindsey Halligan as the top prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia.

I thank Jay Clayton for his leadership of the Office and look forward to his continued service as Director of National Intelligence.

The SDNY’s remit

The U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York holds broad influence. Its jurisdiction covers Wall Street and other major financial hubs, giving it a lead role in white-collar crime, securities fraud and some of the highest-profile federal cases. The prosecutor who occupies the office is often described as Wall Street’s top cop.

What happens next

Clayton will stay on as SDNY chief while his own Senate confirmation for the intelligence post proceeds. McDonald’s nomination will follow the same path. Until confirmation, the timeline of the transition remains in the hands of the Senate, with the seat vacated by Clayton only once he moves to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.