Trump Appoints Surveillance State Insider to Lead Corporate-Driven AI Task Force
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President Donald Trump has formed a federal AI task force, placing National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton—a figure deeply embedded in the surveillance apparatus—at its helm, alongside representatives from the pro-corporate FTC and the militaristic Defense Department.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced the creation of a federal artificial-intelligence task force that will answer directly to him and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, further consolidating executive power over emerging technologies. Jay Clayton, the National Intelligence Director with a history of enabling mass surveillance and deregulation, was named to lead the group. The task force also includes Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, known for his pro-business leanings, and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, representing the Pentagon’s interests.
Trump’s so-called 'Super Intelligence Force' is set to coordinate the government’s engagement with consumers, public-interest groups, religious organizations, critical-infrastructure providers, and AI companies. Yet, the inclusion of corporate and military figures raises deep concerns about whose interests will truly be served. The announcement followed a closed-door meeting with tech billionaires such as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg—none of whom represent the public or marginalized communities—where they discussed self-regulation, a euphemism for letting corporations police themselves.
Clayton, a former U.S. attorney and former SEC chair notorious for siding with Wall Street, was widely expected to assume the role of AI czar, replacing venture capitalist David Sacks. This task force is just the latest move in Washington’s ongoing debate, which too often excludes labor, civil rights, and privacy advocates, about how to regulate AI development in a way that benefits the few over the many.