Trump names two SEC and two CFTC nominees, including a Democrat
Why it matters
America's crypto rules are being written by agencies with mostly empty seats: the CFTC has one commissioner, the SEC two. These picks start to fill them, though the Senate must still approve each one.
Post to XThe short version
On 12 November President Trump sent the US Senate four names for the two agencies that police American financial markets: Kristin Johnson and Steven Levine for the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Nathan Anonick and Matthew Rowland for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Johnson is a Democrat. The Senate must approve each one.
Here's what happened. The White House sent 4 nominees to the Senate on Thursday, the first picks for these agencies since 2025, according to CoinDesk.
For the SEC, which oversees stocks, it named Kristin Johnson, a former CFTC commissioner and a Democrat, and Steven Levine, who CoinDesk says works at the Labor Department and is a former SEC counselor. For the CFTC, which oversees futures and other derivatives, it named Nathan Anonick and Matthew Rowland, who both work with the Senate Agriculture Committee, CoinDesk reported.
Johnson's term would run to June 2029 and Levine's to June 2030, according to the White House. Anonick's would run to June 2031.
Put it in context. Each agency can have five commissioners. Right now the SEC has two, chairman Paul Atkins and Mark Uyeda, after Hester Peirce left a few weeks ago. The CFTC has only its chairman, Mike Selig, CoinDesk reported. Until now, Trump had not nominated any Democrats to either body.
What happens next? The Senate Agriculture Committee will vet the CFTC picks and Senate Banking the SEC picks, before a vote of the full Senate, which is sitting in its post-election lame-duck session.
Where this comes from
- Nominations Sent to the Senate · The White House
- U.S. President Trump names CFTC, SEC nominees for first time in a year · CoinDesk
Written with AI from the sources above and checked against them before publishing. Here's how we work. This is news, not financial advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
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