Overview
- Trump said on Dec. 8 he will sign an executive order this week to establish one national AI rulebook that blocks state-level regulations.
- Leaked drafts reported by multiple outlets indicate the order would direct the Justice Department to create an AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state laws.
- Reporting on the draft describes enforcement levers that could include federal lawsuits and potential threats to withhold funding from states with “burdensome” AI rules.
- The move follows repeated failures in Congress to preempt state AI regulations, including a near-unanimous Senate vote in July and the exclusion of similar language from the NDAA this month.
- Bipartisan resistance has mounted from governors and state attorneys general, while tech leaders and White House adviser David Sacks argue a uniform policy is needed for U.S. competitiveness.