Trump resists AI safety warnings despite White House aides' pressure
Staff including chief of staff Wiles and Treasury Secretary Bessent push for guardrails while tech executives and Sacks advocate for lighter regulation.
What to know
- Trump dismisses AI safety concerns as conspiracy and China disinformation, rejecting his own staff's warnings about risks including cyberattacks on banking systems.
- Chief of Staff Wiles and Treasury Secretary Bessent are leading a push for AI guardrails and government scrutiny, gathering almost daily to discuss sector risks.
- AI adviser David Sacks, who has financial stakes in AI companies, successfully pressured Trump to kill a stricter AI oversight order, and tech executives including Zuckerberg and Musk back a lighter regulatory touch that is currently prevailing.
- The divide between Trump's cautious aides and his pro-industry advisers remains unresolved, with tech executives' light-touch approach appearing to win the day despite ongoing staff concerns.
“A lot of people are scared shitless by the prospect of artificial intelligence at best taking a lot of people's jobs and at worst wiping humanity off the face of the earth.”
New York Magazine, Article characterization · New York Magazine ↗
Donald Trump U.S. President
David Sacks White House AI adviser, venture capitalistSusie Wiles White House Chief of Staff
Scott Bessent Treasury SecretaryMark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Elon Musk Tech executives (Meta, Nvidia, SpaceX)
Sean Cairncross National Cyber Director
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articles
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1
Trump characterizes AI regulation push as China-backed conspiracy
On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that there is a "SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers" with China being the only beneficiary, and declared "WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS!" reflecting his dismissal of safety concerns.
“There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China. WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS!”
— Donald Trump -
first by New York Magazine, 10d ago
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background
Tech executives push back against industry-funded regulator proposal — Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, and Elon Musk spoke to Trump about their concerns with a plan for an industry-funded regulator and successfully stalled it. This backing of a lighter-touch approach appears to be winning influence over the more cautious stance of White House officials.
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background
Trump issues weakened AI order after staff intervention — Following pressure from Wiles and Bessent, Trump issued a neutered version of the executive order on AI, though concerns among aides have continued. Staff members have gathered almost daily in the months since the initial dispute to discuss sector risks and consider guardrails.
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background
Sacks kills stricter AI oversight order in last-minute call — White House AI adviser David Sacks, a venture capitalist with financial interests in AI companies including SpaceX stakes, persuaded Trump to scrap an executive order that would have imposed government review of AI models. Wiles and Bessent were caught off guard and unhappy about the decision.
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Aides report having little success convincing Trump of AI risks
Wall Street Journal reporting reveals Trump's own staff, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have struggled to persuade the president that AI poses significant downsides. Bessent specifically warned that "AI-led cyberattacks could wreak havoc on the nation's banking system."
“AI-led cyberattacks could wreak havoc on the nation's banking system…”
— Scott Bessent