The Trump administration is moving forward with a draft executive order aimed at preventing individual states from establishing their own regulations on artificial intelligence (AI). According to a document obtained by Politico, this initiative includes the formation of an “AI Litigation Task Force” overseen by the Department of Justice. This approach reflects President Trump’s continued push for a centralized regulatory framework for AI, as outlined in the recently published AI Action Plan.
Key components of the plan advocate that federal funding for AI-related initiatives should not be allocated to states imposing onerous regulations. Although the document acknowledges the importance of states’ rights to implement sensible laws that do not excessively hinder innovation, there seems to be a contradiction between this stance and actions taken by the administration.
In a recent attempt, Senator Ted Cruz proposed a ten-year moratorium on state-level AI regulations as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; however, this amendment was overwhelmingly rejected by a Senate vote of 99-1. Tensions surrounding the issue have flared again, with President Trump expressing concerns on Truth Social about how “overregulation by the States” could harm the U.S. economy, which he believes could result in what he terms “Woke AI.” Meanwhile, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene argued on social media against any moratorium, advocating for the preservation of states’ rights and federalism.
Looking ahead, Politico suggests that the administration may seek to reintroduce the regulation moratorium in the upcoming year-end defense bill, underscoring a belief that disparate regulations across states could hinder the United States’ competitiveness in the global AI landscape. This ongoing debate illustrates the complexities and challenges of balancing federal oversight with state autonomy in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
