The Trump administration is preparing a sweeping executive order aimed at centralizing artificial intelligence regulation at the federal level, effectively overriding state-based AI laws. According to reports, the draft order, titled “Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI Policy,” represents a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to streamline AI governance.
Federal Authority Over AI Regulation
The draft executive order would grant Washington broad authority over artificial intelligence regulations, stripping states of control over AI policy. This move comes as President Trump has argued that state-level AI regulations create a fragmented regulatory landscape that threatens economic growth and innovation. In a recent Truth Social post, Trump stated that “Investment in AI is helping to make the U.S. Economy the ‘HOTTEST’ in the World — But overregulation by the States is threatening to undermine this Growth Engine”.
Creating an AI Litigation Task Force
A key component of the proposed order involves establishing an AI Litigation Task Force within the Justice Department. This task force would have a specific mandate: to challenge state AI laws that federal officials believe hinder industry growth and innovation. The approach represents a departure from previous executive actions, instead deploying the muscle of several federal agencies to quash state AI regulations.
Broader Context of Trump’s AI Strategy
This executive order fits within the Trump administration’s larger agenda to remove barriers to American AI leadership. The administration has previously signed executive orders addressing concerns about bias in federal AI procurement and promoting innovation in the sector. The timing of this draft order also reflects broader geopolitical concerns, as Trump has warned that China could overtake the United States in the global AI race if regulatory barriers aren’t addressed.
The proposed action signals a fundamental shift in how artificial intelligence will be regulated in the United States, consolidating decision-making power at the federal level rather than allowing a patchwork of state regulations.