Trump Administration Split Over AI Regulation Executive Order
Original: The Trump Administration Is at War With Itself Over AI Regulation
Why This Matters
Shows ongoing tensions between AI innovation and national security regulation in US policy
The Trump administration faces internal conflict after President Trump canceled an AI regulation executive order in May. Officials including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent push for revival while former AI czar David Sacks opposes the measures.
Trump abruptly canceled a planned AI executive order signing ceremony on May 21, citing concerns about stifling domestic competition and reducing US advantage over China. The most contentious provision would have created a voluntary framework requiring AI labs like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google to give the White House early access to AI models up to 90 days before public release for cybersecurity evaluation. The push reflects growing national security concerns about AI capabilities, particularly Anthropic's Mythos and OpenAI's GPT-5.5 models that excel at finding software vulnerabilities. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles leads efforts to resurrect the order alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross. Bessent has met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and other executives to forge a path forward. Former AI czar David Sacks opposes the order, successfully convincing Trump to cancel the signing hours beforehand.