Trump names James McDonald as US attorney for high-profile New York district

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Saturday he will appoint James McDonald to replace Jay Clayton as the US attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The Manhattan US attorney is considered one of the most powerful prosecutors in the country. The office, known for bringing high-profile financial crime, terrorism and public corruption cases, has historically enjoyed a greater degree of independence from the justice department than the other 92 US attorneys’ offices around the US.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

McDonald, who would have to be confirmed by the US Senate to serve in the powerful prosecutorial role, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Thursday, Trump nominated Clayton to serve as the next director of national intelligence following the resignation of Tulsi Gabbard.

McDonald, whose previous roles include assistant US attorney and Commodity Futures Trading Commission enforcement chief, is an attorney at the Sullivan & Cromwell law firm, where Clayton also worked before taking over SDNY last year.

McDonald was part of Trump’s legal team for the Stormy Daniels case, in which a New York jury in 2024 found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence the porn star ahead of the 2016 election.