Trump Signs Executive Order to Preempt State AI Regulations

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 11, 2025, aiming to prevent individual states from enacting their own regulations on artificial intelligence (AI). The order directs the Attorney General to establish an "AI Litigation Task Force" to challenge state laws deemed inconsistent with national AI policy. Additionally, the Commerce Department is tasked with evaluating existing state AI laws and identifying those that conflict with federal objectives. The order also threatens to withhold federal broadband funding from states with AI regulations considered obstructive to technological advancement.

At the signing ceremony, President Trump emphasized the need for a unified national approach to AI regulation, stating, "We have to be unified. China is unified because they have one vote, that's President Xi. He says do it, and that's the end of that."

Venture capitalist David Sacks, serving as Trump's AI advisor, clarified that the administration would not oppose all state laws, particularly those concerning child safety. "Kid safety, we're going to protect. We're not pushing back on that, but we're going to push back on the most onerous examples of state regulations," Sacks said.

The executive order has sparked criticism from various quarters. Michael Toscano, director of the Family First Technology Initiative at the Institute for Family Studies, remarked, "This is a huge lost opportunity by the Trump administration to lead the Republican Party into a broadly consultative process."

Adam Billen, vice president of Encode, a nonprofit focused on child safety and AI threats, expressed concern over the potential chilling effect on state initiatives. "Even if everything is overturned in the executive order, the chilling effect on states' willingness to protect their residents is going to be huge because they're all now going to fear getting attacked directly by the Trump administration," Billen stated.

Legal experts have also questioned the order's validity. John Bergmayer, legal director of the nonprofit advocacy group Public Knowledge, argued that the federal government cannot override state AI laws without congressional legislation. "They're trying to find a way to bypass Congress with these various theories in the executive order. Legally, I don't think they work very well," Bergmayer said.

The executive order is expected to face legal challenges, with critics contending that it may infringe upon states' rights and hinder efforts to implement AI regulations aimed at protecting consumers and civil liberties.