The Trump administration has targeted state-level AI regulation, with the president declaring in a social media post this week that the industry needs “one federal standard, not a patchwork of 50 state regulatory systems.”
This comes after a 10-year ban on national AI regulation was initially included in President Trump's Big Beautiful Act, but was ultimately removed by a 99-1 vote in the Senate.
The idea has since apparently taken on a new form, with the government reportedly drafting an executive order to establish an AI Litigation Task Force tasked with challenging state AI laws through litigation. States with disputed AI-related laws are also reportedly at risk of losing federal broadband funding.
Now, Reuters reports that the executive order has been put on hold. If signed, the order would likely face significant opposition, including from Republican lawmakers who had previously criticized proposed suspensions of state regulations.
AI regulation has also been controversial in Silicon Valley, with some industry players, particularly those in the Trump administration, attacking companies like Anthropic for supporting AI safety bills, including California's SB 53.