WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he will nominate James M. McDonald, one of his personal lawyers, to serve as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, filling a vacancy created by his nomination of current U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the nation’s intelligence community.
Trump said McDonald would oversee the Manhattan-based federal prosecutor’s office, one of the Justice Department’s most influential offices, if the Senate confirms his nomination.
McDonald previously worked as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. He later served as director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump’s first term and as deputy associate counsel in the White House during President George W. Bush’s administration.
McDonald is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell and is part of the legal team handling Trump’s appeal of his New York felony convictions related to hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump announced the nomination after selecting Clayton, the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, as his nominee for director of national intelligence.
As U.S. attorney, McDonald would oversee investigations and prosecutions involving terrorism, espionage, securities fraud, public corruption and other federal crimes within the district.
McDonald also served on the legal team that represented Indian businessman Gautam Adani. In May, the Justice Department dropped a fraud and conspiracy case against Adani that prosecutors filed during the Biden administration.
“I am confident that Jamie will deliver strong results for our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Nicholas Biase, spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, said the office welcomed the nomination.
“Mr. McDonald is widely respected,” Biase said.
Trump announced Clayton’s nomination as lawmakers increased pressure on the administration to appoint a permanent replacement for former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month.
Trump previously faced criticism over his decision to appoint Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as acting director of national intelligence.
