Trump bets the GOP, his presidency, and the future of America on AI
Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write:
President Trump is betting his presidency — and the future of the GOP — on lightly regulated, fast expansion of AI.
Why it matters: Yes, Trump zigs and zags into countless political and diplomatic issues. But none comes close to his sustained, and surging, all-in alliance with tech billionaires and AI companies reshaping the U.S. economy.
He won on the backs of working-class MAGA. But he governs, socializes and surrounds himself with tech swells and moguls.
- From his inauguration to last month’s glitzy White House dinner for the Saudis, Trump basks in the support, gifts and affirmation of the most famous AI leaders and companies in the world.
The big picture: Trump has essentially fused Silicon Valley and government in a race to both beat China to all-powerful AI and rescue an economy that’s treading water outside of the AI boom. He has rolled back regulations, awarded huge contracts, and downplayed concerns about AI safety or downside risk.
- Trump has prioritized maintaining U.S. dominance in AI, including a Week 1 executive order, “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” … in July, an AI action plan, “Winning the AI Race” … and last month, a “Genesis Mission” to “unleash a new age of AI‑accelerated innovation and discovery that can solve the most challenging problems of this century.”