SEC, Treasury Picks Spark Debate; Deaton Dissatisfied

• John Deaton raises concerns about the latest candidates for the SEC Chair and Treasury Secretary posts.
• While Bob Stebbins is a top contender for the SEC Chair, Kevin Warsh gains support to become the next Treasury Secretary.
• Deaton urges Trump to consider Scott Bessent or Brian Brooks for the new Treasury Secretary.

Pro-XRP lawyer John Deaton voiced concerns about the potential appointments of Bob Stebbins and Kevin Warsh in President-elect Donald Trump’s administration.

Reports suggest former SEC General Counsel Bob Stebbins has emerged as a leading candidate to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. Similarly, Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh has reportedly gained support from the bond market to become Treasury Secretary.

In an X post dated November 20, 2024, Deaton expressed disappointment over Stebbins and Warsh’s potential appointments, calling them a “worse combined pick” for these pivotal positions in the regulatory and financial sectors.

Trump’s SEC Chair Candidates List Expands

Notably, SEC Chair Gary Gensler’s resignation and the next Chair have been the topics of concern over the past few days. While Deaton condemns the choice of Stebbins, he is only one among the many candidates, including Mark Uyeda, Hester Pierce, Brad Bondi, Paul Atkins, Dan Gallagher, etc. Most recently, former SEC lawyer Teresa Goody Guillén also joined the list.

Meanwhile, Trump has scheduled an interview with Warsh and Marc Rowan, the CEO of Apollo Global Management, for the Treasury Secretary post today. Billion investor John Paulson, who remained a leading contender till last week, exited the race. Howard Lutnick, whom Trump nominated for the US Commerce Department head, was also a strong candidate for the Secretary of the Treasury.

Deaton has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the current nominations. For Treasury Secretary, he urged Trump to reconsider earlier frontrunners, including Scott Bessent, Bill Haggerty, and Howard Lutnick. Highlighting Bessent as Trump’s original pick, Deaton called on the President to “stick with” him or consider Brian Brooks instead.