Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, announced on the 14th (local time) that he will appoint Jay Clayton, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, known as the 'Wall Street Reaper,' which handles large-scale cases such as financial crimes and money laundering centered around New York, a global financial hub.
On the same day, Trump announced through his social networking service (SNS), Truth Social, "I am pleased to announce that Jay Clayton, a New Yorker who did an amazing job as SEC chairman during my first term, has been nominated as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York." He introduced former Chairman Clayton as "a highly respected business leader, lawyer, and public official," and wrote, "He will be a strong fighter for the truth to make America great again."
The Southern District of New York (SDNY) is one of the most influential law enforcement agencies in the United States. It has jurisdiction over the New York financial sector, including Wall Street, and is responsible for investigating Wall Street financial crimes and illegal activities of global corporations. Because of this, it is also called the 'Wall Street Reaper.' Major foreign media outlets, including CNN, reported that former Chairman Clayton, who was selected as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, had also been considered as a candidate for the Attorney General in the second Trump administration.
Former Chairman Clayton is a lawyer and financial law expert who has served as SEC chairman and provided advice on financial regulation, corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and related matters. However, he is not a former prosecutor. Accordingly, there are expectations that concerns about his lack of law enforcement experience will follow his appointment as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. CNN added, "The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York is usually held by someone from a prosecutorial background."
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