15. December 2025
Trump Administration Escalates Ai Regulatory Battle With Surprise Executive Order
The Trump Administration’s Latest Power Play: Undermining State Regulation of Artificial Intelligence
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order giving the office of the attorney general broad authority to sue states and overturn consumer protection laws related to artificial intelligence (AI). The order, titled “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence,” aims to create a uniform national policy framework for AI, but its implications are far-reaching.
Trump has been vocal about his disdain for what he sees as overbearing federal regulations. However, with this latest executive order, Trump is once again undermining those same principles, but this time in the realm of AI regulation. The order gives the attorney general authority to sue states for enacting laws that conflict with the federal government’s vision for AI policy.
This means that states like California, which has implemented a law requiring AI safety testing and disclosure, or Utah, Illinois, and Nevada, which have imposed restrictions on data collection by chatbots, may be vulnerable to legal action. The result is that numerous state-level child-safety regulations safeguarding kids from AI chatbots are now under threat.
These laws, passed in both red and blue states, were designed to protect children from the potential harms of AI, such as promoting mental health disclosure requirements or limiting data collection by companies like Google and OpenAI. The stakes are high, given that federal regulation of AI is currently nonexistent.
State-level regulations have been the last line of defense for kids, who have become vulnerable to the tech industry’s AI free-for-all. The examples of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, are stark reminders of the potential risks. In 2022, the platform was blamed for encouraging a 16-year-old to kill himself, and Google has faced accusations of running an AI-powered social experiment on kids and teens with similarly tragic results.
The implications of this executive order are far-reaching and have significant implications for state regulation and child safety. Policy analyst Rachel Courtwright noted that “blocking state laws regulating AI is an unacceptable nightmare for parents and anyone who cares about protecting children online.” She added that states have been the only effective line of defense against AI harms.
By concentrating power to regulate AI at the federal level, Trump is effectively tipping the scale in favor of big tech corporations, which are now responsible for a significant portion of GDP growth in the US. The order accelerates the capital accumulation process by removing barriers to revenue driven by AI exploitation.
The “AI race” between the US and China is more complex than initially meets the eye. While both nations pursue different goals, the real-world implications are still unclear. What is clear is that the executive order prioritizes the interests of tech corporations over those of American workers and their children.
Critics argue that this approach will have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations, particularly children who are already being exploited by AI systems. The lack of regulation has led to a situation where companies like Google and OpenAI can collect vast amounts of data on kids without proper oversight or safeguards.
The irony is striking. Republicans, who have long branded themselves as defenders of children against threats both real and imagined, are now facing criticism for undermining state-level child-safety regulations that were designed to protect kids from AI-related harms. The move has sparked outrage among lawmakers and experts who argue that the executive order undermines the principles of individual states’ rights.
The future of AI regulation in the US will be shaped by this move, and it will have significant consequences for American workers, children, and the broader tech industry. As the tech industry continues to grow and evolve, it is essential that policymakers prioritize the well-being and safety of vulnerable populations.
The executive order’s impact on child safety and AI regulation will likely be felt in the coming years. With federal regulation currently nonexistent, state-level regulations have been the only effective line of defense against AI harms. As the industry continues to expand, it is crucial that policymakers prioritize the protection of children and ensure that AI systems are designed with their well-being in mind.
In reality, the “AI race” between the US and China is more complex than initially meets the eye. While both nations pursue different goals, the real-world implications are still unclear. What is clear is that the executive order prioritizes the interests of tech corporations over those of American workers and their children, and will have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.
Critics argue that this approach will lead to a situation where companies like Google and OpenAI can collect vast amounts of data on kids without proper oversight or safeguards. The irony is striking, as Republicans who have long defended children against threats both real and imagined are now facing criticism for undermining state-level child-safety regulations.
The executive order’s implications for the broader tech industry are also significant. By tipping the scale in favor of big tech corporations, Trump is effectively accelerating the exploitation of data by these companies. This will likely lead to a situation where American workers are left vulnerable to the whims of corporate interests, rather than being protected by robust regulations and safeguards.
The irony is striking. Republicans, who have long branded themselves as defenders of children against threats both real and imagined, are now facing criticism for undermining state-level child-safety regulations that were designed to protect kids from AI-related harms. The move has sparked outrage among lawmakers and experts who argue that the executive order undermines the principles of individual states’ rights.
In conclusion, President Trump’s latest power play is a clear example of how the administration is prioritizing the interests of big tech corporations over those of American workers and their children. By undermining state regulation of AI, Trump is effectively accelerating the exploitation of data by companies like Google and OpenAI, with devastating consequences for vulnerable populations.