Brian Johnson, who held the No. 2 spot within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from 2018 to 2020, has been tapped to lead the agency.
Johnson was nominated Wednesday afternoon by President Donald Trump to lead the consumer watchdog for five years. He’s currently a senior executive at Capital One, Reuters reported.
If confirmed by the Senate, Johnson would replace Russ Vought, who has led the agency as acting director – and tried to dismantle it – since February 2025.
During his previous tenure at the CFPB, Johnson led the creation of the Office of Innovation, Taskforce on Federal Consumer Financial Law, policy symposia series, and Start Small, Save Up emergency savings program, according to his biography on the website of the Federalist Society, an American conservative and libertarian legal organization.
Johnson’s Office of Innovation, which let individual companies apply for no-action letters to develop specific products under a safe harbor it labeled a sandbox, was recast under former CFPB Director Rohit Chopra as the Office of Competition and Innovation to emphasize its role in promoting competition.
The Office of Competition and Innovation appears to have retained its name, according to the agency’s website, which has otherwise undergone recent changes.
Consumer Bankers Association President and CEO Lindsey Johnson said the CBA is looking forward to engaging with CFPB nominee Johnson “on policies that provide certainty and create a more durable, stable CFPB where the Bureau meets its mission of consumer protection in a manner consistent with its congressional mandate.”
“A transparent, accountable CFPB focused on its core mission will strengthen outcomes for consumers, financial institutions, and the U.S. economy,” she said.
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and will be updated.
