Sunday, Donald Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from Ireland to Joint Base Andrews, and said he backs Flock Safety’s AI-powered surveillance cameras. His position puts him against a growing bipartisan pushback on Capitol Hill. The president defended the technology, saying it aids law enforcement, even as lawmakers from both parties raise worries about it.
The remarks mark the first time Trump has staked out a personal position on the technology. For months, he had hedged when asked about Flock, citing the need to study the “pros and cons.” Sunday’s exchange came just days after Sen. Josh Hawley set a September 8 deadline for Flock to turn over its internal documents.
Trump’s Defense of the Cameras
Trump was asked about automated license plate readers, which police departments say have solved cases across the country, and he replied with an unmistakable backing for the technology. “Yeah, I sort of like them because of that, because of law enforcement,” was his answer.
He didn’t stop there. He acknowledged that not everyone agrees, noting that “some people” consider the cameras “an infringement” on privacy. But when a reporter pushed back, pointing out that Flock’s network “helps catch a lot of criminals,” Trump doubled down: “I like them.”
The president’s remarks place him at odds with some of the same Republicans who are spearheading the congressional pushback. In late August, Sen. Josh Hawley, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, launched a formal investigation into the company’s data practices. He subsequently widened it to encompass rival surveillance vendors Motorola Solutions, Verkada, and Axon.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has vowed to pass his own law aimed at reining in the network, while Rep. Thomas Massie is working on a bill that would strip federal funding from agencies that use the cameras. In late August, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to stop funding for Flock cameras. The Los Angeles Police Department suspended its own Flock contract in July because of worries about data sharing and security.
How Flock’s Cameras Work
Flock attaches stationary cameras to poles along roads, capturing images of cars as they pass by. These devices employ computer vision to record a vehicle’s make, model, color, and distinctive features such as bumper stickers and roof racks. The firm has placed over 120,000 of these units in more than 6,000 American towns and cities, tracking an estimated 20 billion vehicles each month.
The police argue that the searchable system aids in recovering stolen vehicles and finding missing individuals. Opponents counter that it creates a record of where people go that has nothing to do with any suspicion of wrongdoing.
Last month, the friction grew after Wired reported that Flock has been developing an AI tool capable of identifying and tracking drivers without ever capturing a name or a license plate. The software, which was originally known as Nightshift before being renamed Flock OS Investigate, was discovered to come preloaded with 69 preset prompts that allow officers to query for vehicles based on movement pattern alone.
A prompt detects a vehicle’s license plate “associates” by tracking which other cars show up at the same cameras during a two-minute span. That method raises questions about how the data gets put to use and who can access it.
The Congressional Probes
Massie’s bill targets federal funding for agencies that deploy the cameras, while Hawley’s subcommittee launched its investigation in late August, expanding it to include Motorola Solutions, Verkada, and Axon. Sanders has pledged legislation to target Flock’s network is pushing back against them.
The pushback started well before Trump weighed in. Abbott’s order and the LAPD suspension both preceded the president’s first public statement on the issue.
Same Flight, Different Fight
During the in-flight conversation where reporters questioned Trump about artificial intelligence safety, the Flock exchange took place. The president was notably more combative on that subject than on other topics raised during the discussion. A day before, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei had published an essay calling for the industry to slow down so safety work could catch up. OpenAI’s Sam Altman also argued for pacing development.
That caused a crash in the stock market as soon as Monday’s trading session began. Asked whether he’d heard those warnings directly, Trump pushed back rather than engage with the substance. “I’m not downplaying,” he said, “but it’s going to be more good than bad, but by a lot.”
“Whoever wins AI, and we’re leading by a lot. Whoever wins AI, wins,” he told reporters, repeating a line he has used before to wave off regulatory pressure. He dismissed calls for tighter guardrails as coming from “negative forces” raising alarms about things that “won’t happen.” Asked directly if he personally uses AI, Trump confirmed that he does, without elaborating on how.
What Trump Actually Said
On Sunday, Trump delivered his clearest defense of Flock yet. He expressed approval for the cameras because they aid law enforcement, and he spoke those words openly.
His acknowledgment that “some people” view the cameras as “an infringement” shows he understands the criticism. But his repeated insistence that he likes them, even when challenged, signals that he believes the benefits outweigh the privacy concerns.
That sequence of events carries a particular weight. The president’s statement arrived just days before Hawley’s deadline for document production is approaching, and Trump’ offered his backing. It is still unclear whether that move will alter the course of the investigation.
The Privacy Tradeoff
Flock’s cameras record vast amounts of data on innocent people. The company’s own AI tools can track drivers without names or plates, and the movement logs raise questions about how the data is used and who has access to it.
Some critics worry that the network constructs a list of possible suspects using people who have never been accused of a crime. This objection stands apart from the law enforcement advantages that backers point to.
What Happens Next
The September 8 deadline is approaching. Hawley’s subcommittee will receive the documents from Flock, and the legislative push from Sanders and Massie will continue.
The support from Trump changes the situation. It places him against Republican colleagues who are heading up the investigation, while also adding political weight to the discussion.
Publicly defending the technology is something the president has already done, which shows his willingness on that score. What remains unknown is whether it will alter the course of the congressional investigations.
Key Facts Box
- Trump’s stance: Likes Flock’s AI cameras because they help law enforcement
- Cameras deployed: More than 120,000 across more than 6,000 U.S. communities
- Monthly scans: Roughly 20 billion vehicles
- Flock OS Investigate: Tracks drivers without names or plates, with 69 preset prompts
- Senate probe: Led by Sen. Josh Hawley, expanded to Motorola Solutions, Verkada, and Axon
- Legislation: Pledged by Sen. Bernie Sanders, with a funding-cut bill from Rep. Thomas Massie
- State action: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott halted state funding; LAPD suspended its contract
- AI safety crash: Caused by essays from Anthropic’s Amodei and OpenAI’s Altman
The president has made his stance plain: he enjoys the cameras and shows no sign of giving ground. The real test will come from Congress.
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