President Donald Trump has nominated two Democrats and two Republicans to the SEC and CFTC. The picks need Senate confirmation, and Democrats will control both chambers of Congress from January. The CLARITY Act also remains stalled after a failed Senate vote in September.
Trump nominated four commissioners to the SEC and CFTC on Thursday, according to a White House announcement. Former CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson and attorney Steven Levine go to the SEC, while Nathan Anonick and Matthew Rowland go to the CFTC.
The nominations are Trump's first proposed for the two agencies in approximately a year. All four need Senate confirmation before taking office.
Who Trump picked
Johnson is a Democrat who served as a CFTC commissioner until 2025. Levine, a Republican and former SEC official, was counsel and deputy chief of staff to SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda before moving to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
Anonick, a Republican, works with the staff of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, where he took part in negotiations over the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. Rowland, a Democrat, is a CFTC attorney who previously served on Johnson's staff.
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig welcomed the picks. According to crypto.news, he called Anonick and Rowland "two strong bipartisan picks".
The agencies have operated with several vacancies. The SEC has Chairman Paul Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda, and Selig is the CFTC's sole commissioner.
Senate review under a new Congress
Democrats won the House and Senate in the November 3 midterm elections, and the new Congress begins on January 3, 2027. Republicans keep their Senate majority until then.
The Senate Banking Committee will review the SEC nominees, and the Senate Agriculture Committee will consider the CFTC candidates. Each committee can hold hearings and vote on whether to advance the nominations to the full Senate.
CLARITY Act stays stuck
The nominations follow a legislative stall. On September 15, the Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act, with 49 senators backing further debate and 50 opposed. The bill needed 60 votes to proceed.
Democrats had demanded stricter safeguards on conflicts of interest involving Trump and his family's crypto businesses. Meanwhile, the SEC has proposed changes covering digital asset offerings and custody, and the CFTC has continued work on crypto trading and derivatives rules.
Former CFTC Chairman Chris Giancarlo said in a November 11 interview that he had heard Representative Maxine Waters might keep approximately 80% of the existing bill while adding Democratic priorities. His comments concerned a possible political strategy, not an announced legislative decision.
Source: crypto.news
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