Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he would create a new “AI Force” and appoint an AI czar, promising to watch over the industry while rejecting calls to regulate it. In the same speech, he called fears around AI alignment a “hoax.”
“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” Trump said. “Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!”
The AI Force
The AI Force would be formed to look out for the “bad” aspects of AI, Trump said. He likened the move to the creation of Space Force during his first term, though he stopped short of saying it would become another armed service.
Space Force was created by an act of Congress as a sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces in 2020. Another armed forces branch would require further action from Congress.
Trump promised to name an AI czar in the “near future.”
Existing Law Suffices
Trump wrote that the U.S. could address bad AI through its “already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System.” He added: “We will also be looking for BAD, and we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System.”
He framed the administration’s approach as a rejection of the kind of regulatory pressure that some tech leaders have warned about.
Critics Push Back
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei last week published a blog post calling to slow the pace of AI development. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said his company would welcome a slower development pace to ensure capabilities don’t “get ahead of alignment and monitoring.”
Both moves sit outside the administration’s stated path. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Administration’s Track Record
At the time, Trump responded to the warnings that the industry faces with a familiar line: the warnings were a “HOAX” and that there was a “SICK conspiracy” going on around AI.
David Sacks, co-chair of Trump’s science and technology council, indicated at a Politico conference that more regulations were not necessarily needed. Sacks said: “I think the starting point for talking about AI regulation is to realize the regulations that we already have.”
Sacks added: “We have a highly regulated administrative state, and we already have a lot of laws and regulations that pertain to AI. And we have a lot of administrative agencies that promulgate regulations related to AI.”
Sacks previously served as the White House’s former AI and crypto czar until stepping down in March.
The Positions Match Up
The administration’s position is simple: existing law already covers bad AI, and new regulation would only slow the industry down. Critics like Amodei and Altman warn of misaligned systems that could outpace human judgment.
The disagreement is not about whether AI poses risks. It is about who should handle them.
What Happens Next
Trump has promised an AI czar in the “near future.” Whether the AI Force becomes a formal branch of the armed forces remains unclear, given the legal path required.
The administration’s approach rests on the idea that the criminal justice system already handles misconduct. Critics argue that the pace of development itself requires attention.
The positions are set. The test will be whether either side changes course before the next warning lands.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs Trump’s stated hands-off approach to AI regulation and is against the kind of heavy licensing regime that would lock smaller companies out of the field. The administration’s approach, which relies on existing criminal and civil law, fits the paper’s preference for narrow rules against direct harm rather than broad new rulebooks written by the biggest firms themselves.
Trump’s promise to watch over the industry without stifling it matches the paper’s view that regulation often protects the biggest players while raising the cost of entry for small ones. The administration’s reliance on existing law avoids creating a moat that only giants can afford, which is precisely the danger the paper warns against.
The real test will come when the next warning lands. The paper will continue watching to see whether the administration’s promises hold or whether the pressure for heavier regulation grows too strong to resist.
Key Facts Box
- Trump announced the AI Force and AI czar on Saturday
- Space Force became a sixth armed service in 2020 via an act of Congress
- Amodei published his blog post last week
- Altman’s company said it would welcome a slower pace
- Sacks stepped down from his White House role in March
Source material: “Trump says he will form new 'AI Force' but continues to call AI fears a 'hoax',” ABC13 Houston.
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