President-elect Donald Trump is tapping former regulator Jay Clayton to be US Attorney for Manhattan and two of his own criminal defense attorneys for powerful positions in the Justice Department, fleshing out his top picks to reshape American law enforcement.

The appointment marks a transition for Clayton, the "Sheriff of Wall Street" who has no experience in criminal law.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump nominated former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton to serve as Manhattan's top federal prosecutor on Thursday.