President Donald Trump signed a federal executive order on Thursday at the White House that blocks U.S. states from enforcing their own artificial intelligence laws, using lawsuits and funding pressure to keep AI regulation under federal control.
Trump said during the Oval Office signing event that companies cannot be expected to seek approval from dozens of state governments. “You have to have a central source of approval when they need approval,” Trump said. “They can’t go to California, New York and various other places.”
Federal agencies move to challenge state AI laws
Trump’s order also directs the U.S. attorney general Pamela Bondi to create an AI Litigation Task Force tasked with challenging state AI laws that conflict with the federal approach, by bringing lawsuits against states whose rules do not align with the administration’s goals, using federal courts to block enforcement.
The order also said that within 90 days, the Commerce secretary must consult with other officials and publish a review of existing state AI laws. That review must identify laws considered overly restrictive or inconsistent with federal policy.
The secretary is also required to issue a notice laying out the conditions states must meet to remain eligible for money from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, tying broadband funding to compliance with federal AI priorities.
Federal agencies will also gain more leverage over state policy through grants. Executive departments are allowed to review discretionary grant programs with Trump’s special adviser for AI and crypto to determine whether funding can be conditioned on states avoiding AI laws that conflict with White House objectives. That provision gives agencies a financial tool to discourage state-level regulation without needing new legislation.
The directive was pushed inside the administration by David Sacks, the White House AI czar, after months of lobbying by major AI companies including OpenAI, Google, and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Industry executives have repeatedly warned that a growing number of state AI laws could overwhelm companies and weaken U.S. competitiveness, especially against China. Jensen Huang, chief executive officer of Nvidia, has been among those raising alarms about fragmented regulation.
Trump said he discussed the order with several tech leaders before signing it and said Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple, was among those he consulted while Cook was in Washington this week. Trump repeated that companies need one authority making decisions. “They won’t be able to do this,” he said, referring to AI development, unless approval comes from a single source.
Congress stalled as political resistance grows
The executive order follows failed attempts by Trump officials and Republican lawmakers to include similar language in a must-pass defense bill earlier this month. A separate proposal to pause state AI laws was rejected by the U.S. Senate in July by a 99–1 vote, leaving no federal statute governing AI and opening the door for states to act on their own.
The order says the administration must work with Congress to create a “minimally burdensome national standard — not 50 discordant State ones.”
The order directs Dave Sacks, the White House adviser for AI and crypto, along with the assistant to the president for science and technology to prepare a legislative proposal with Congress for a uniform federal AI framework.
“It is pass/fail versus China,” said Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, who attended the signing. “We have the lead, we’ve got to maintain it.”
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