James McDonald nominated as U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District

President Donald Trump announced on June 13, 2026 that he will nominate James M. McDonald to serve as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). McDonald is a former assistant U.S. attorney in the SDNY, currently a litigation partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, and previously directed enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and served in the White House counsel’s office under President George W. Bush.

The nomination replaces current SDNY U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whom Trump has concurrently nominated for Director of National Intelligence. McDonald is part of Trump’s legal team handling the appeal of the former president’s New York hush‑money conviction involving Stormy Daniels. He also helped secure a favorable outcome for Indian billionaire Gautam Adani after the Justice Department dropped a fraud case brought under the prior administration.

The SDNY handles high‑profile prosecutions involving terrorism, espionage, financial fraud, public corruption and organized crime. Trump’s selection of a close personal lawyer for this influential office underscores the administration’s intent to shape the district’s enforcement priorities.