Exclusive | SDNY boss Jay Clayton details push to tackle NYC street crime and how he earned recent attaboy from Trump

Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton is throwing resources toward tackling violent street crime in the Big Apple, he told The Post Wednesday — and he’s already gotten a kudos from President Trump for the office’s crackdown on Washington Square Park.Clayton, who was appointed to run the powerful Southern District of New York by Trump in April, revealed he plans to bring more cases involving drugs, guns and violence in federal court — where the odds of getting suspects locked up pending trial are higher due to tougher laws.“Violent crime on the streets of New York City and the rest of the district is what we are keenly focused on,” Clayton said in an interview, when asked about his top priorities helming the key Department of Justice post.Clayton sat for an interview minutes after holding a press conference announcing the busts of 12 alleged narcotics peddlers for brazenly running an open-air drug market at an East Harlem public housing project for more than three years.His office is seeking pre-trial detention for the suspects — and already convinced federal judges to lock up more than a dozen people accused of hawking similarly dangerous drugs in and around Washington Square Park, with that case pending, court records show.The sweeping busts at the famed Greenwich Village greenspace in October earned him congratulations from the president, who told him “Great job!” in a brief phone call, Clayton, who served as SEC director during Trump’s first term, told The Post.A source close to Trump, who has played golf with Clayton several times over the years at his Bedminster, New Jersey course, confirmed that the call took place.Clayton said Wednesday that part of the strategy to tackle street crime cases federally is to increase the odds of a suspect being detained while their case is pending, and for the allegations to actually make it to trial, compared to in state court.Federal judges are allowed to take community safety into account when setting bail, ...