Artificial Intelligence Policy

The Trump administration on Monday launched the U.S. Tech Force, a federal recruiting program led by the Office of Personnel Management to hire about 1,000 senior software engineers, data scientists and product managers for two‑year stints across agencies including the IRS and Defense Department. OPM Director Scott Kupor said the effort aims to bolster AI and IT modernization capacity after recent workforce reductions, with participants able to remain in government or transition to the private sector after the term.

President Trump signed an executive order directing the Justice Department to create an "AI Litigation Task Force" — coordinating with the FTC and FCC — to sue states over what the White House calls "onerous" AI laws, while the Commerce Department must compile a list of problematic state rules and study whether federal rural broadband and other grant funding can be withheld from states with unfavorable AI laws. The order carves out certain child‑safety and government‑procurement measures and cites states with cross‑sector AI statutes (Colorado, California, Utah, Texas), but experts and state officials warn it will prompt extensive litigation and that broad preemption likely requires congressional action.

The House passed a roughly $900–901 billion NDAA 312–112 after a razor‑thin 215–211 rule vote, advancing a package that excludes provisions preempting state AI regulation and a ban on a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC). Conservatives threatened revolt over those omissions, and Speaker Mike Johnson secured support with last‑minute promises to pursue a CBDC ban and other measures later; the bill includes an AI Futures Steering Committee, outbound investment screening measures and drops a bipartisan military "right to repair" mandate. After Congress twice rejected AI preemption language, President Trump signed an executive order seeking to preempt state AI laws administratively, setting up likely legal challenges.

The White House urged G7 allies to avoid what it called innovation‑killing AI regulations while signaling a U.S. approach, as President Trump signed an executive order to preempt state AI laws and impose a single national framework. White House staff secretary Will Scharf said the EO directs the administration to ensure AI operates under one nationwide framework rather than state-by-state regulation, and the White House consulted Republican governors while MAGA populists pitched last‑minute draft proposals to shape the order.