U.S. President names CFTC, SEC nominees for first time in a year
U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated four individuals to fill empty seats at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, marking his first such nominations since 2025.
Trump is recommending former CFTC Commissioner Kristin Johnson and attorney Steven Levine to the SEC, and Nathan Anonick and Matthew Rowland to the CFTC. These nominations will need Senate approval to fill the empty seats at both agencies, according to the White House's website.
Regulatory Vacancies
The SEC and CFTC play crucial roles in overseeing U.S. financial markets, including crypto trading. Since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, both agencies have operated with limited commissioners. The SEC currently has Chairman Paul Atkins and Commissioner Mark Uyeda, while the CFTC has only Chairman Mike Selig as its sole commissioner.
Bipartisan Nominations
Thursday's nominations appear to have bipartisan support. Anonick works for the Senate Agriculture Committee's majority staff, while Rowland is a CFTC attorney detailed to the Agriculture Committee. Johnson previously served as a CFTC commissioner until last year, and Levine has worked at the Department of Labor and as an SEC counselor.
Senate Approval Process
The Senate Agriculture Committee must approve the CFTC nominees, and the Senate Banking Committee must approve the SEC nominees before the full Senate votes. The Senate is currently in its lame duck session following last week's election.
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