President Trump nominated Citi executive Jonathan Burke for a top Treasury post, where senators pressed him on U.S. sanctions against Iran.
President Donald Trump has nominated Jonathan Burke, Citi’s global head of banking sanctions compliance, to serve as the Treasury Department’s assistant secretary for terrorist financing. Burke previously worked at Treasury from 2008 to 2012 under the Obama administration, where he focused on countering Iran’s access to the international financial system. At his Senate confirmation hearing, Burke said he gained “a deep understanding of the intersection between illicit finance and national security,” noting that sanctions, diplomacy, and private-sector cooperation must work together to limit terrorist funding.
Senator Katie Britt (R-LA), a close Trump ally, pressed Burke on Iran, calling it “the largest state sponsoring terrorists” and criticizing the Biden administration for failing to cut off its financial networks. “President Trump has taken strong action to reimpose a bone-crushing sanctions campaign on Iran and its terror proxies,” she said. Burke responded that maximum pressure campaigns have previously weakened Tehran’s ability to raise funds. Citi praised Burke, calling him a “leading sanctions and financial crimes expert.”