Trump

The President seeks a uniform federal artificial intelligence policy while prompting resistance from state leaders and lawmakers.

 

On Dec. 11, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, intended to block or preempt state laws that regulate artificial intelligence (AI) and to create a single national standard. The order directs federal agencies to take a range of actions to challenge state rules that the administration says could stifle innovation.

The order calls for the Department of Justice to set up an “AI Litigation Task Force” to pursue legal challenges against state AI laws deemed inconsistent with what the White House describes as a “minimally burdensome national policy framework.” It also directs the Secretary of Commerce to identify what it terms “onerous” state regulations and evaluate whether states with such laws should be ineligible for portions of federal broadband funding.

Senior officials at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are directed to consider federal AI reporting, disclosure, and consumer protection policies that could preempt conflicting state laws. The order also calls for developing a legislative recommendation to establish a uniform federal AI policy that preempts state laws, while expressly exempting certain areas, such as child safety protections and state procurement rules.

The White House said the move is intended to prevent a patchwork of more than 1,000 state AI bills that could hinder U.S. competitiveness. “A national standard will ensure America wins the AI race,” the administration said in a fact sheet accompanying the order.

But the executive action has drawn criticism from state leaders and lawmakers who argue that it threatens states’ rights and may exceed presidential authority. Governors and legislators in several states, including California and Florida, have said they will continue to pursue AI laws tailored to public safety and privacy concerns.

The conflict sets the stage for legal battles over federal preemption of state regulation, even as the administration says it will work with Congress to craft comprehensive AI legislation. White House adviser Sriram Krishnan told reporters that the executive order is a step toward a unified regulatory approach that “avoids the complexity” of numerous state laws while protecting innovation.

Draft order would direct federal agencies to challenge state rules and enforce a single national framework.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he plans to sign an executive order “this week” that would block states from enforcing their own laws regulating artificial intelligence (AI), aiming to impose a single nationwide regulatory framework.

According to the draft order, the federal government would direct agencies, including the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to take steps against what the White House deems burdensome state AI laws. The plan reportedly includes establishing an “AI Litigation Task Force” to challenge state statutes in court and, if necessary, suspend federal funding, such as broadband aid, to states that adopt laws that conflict with the national policy framework.

In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI… You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something.” He added that allowing states to set their own rules would kill AI “in its infancy.”

The initiative comes amid a flurry of state-level AI legislation in 2025: all 50 U.S. states, as well as territories and D.C., considered AI-related bills this year, and 38 states passed or enacted roughly 100 measures. States such as California and Colorado have already advanced laws targeting high-risk AI systems, mandating transparency, risk assessments, and protections against deepfakes, bias, and misuse.

But the proposed federal preemption has stirred opposition, including from leaders of Trump’s own party. Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) voiced skepticism, writing that only Congress, and not the president, can block state legislation. He argued that the move would amount to “AI amnesty” and strip states of the ability to safeguard residents.

Even as Congress earlier rejected a ten-year moratorium on state AI regulation by a 99–1 Senate vote, the White House remains poised to use executive authority.

Some major technology firms and industry groups support the executive order, arguing that a national standard is essential to prevent a patchwork of conflicting laws that would hinder innovation and disadvantage U.S. companies competing globally.

The forthcoming executive order could reshape the governance of artificial intelligence in the United States, overriding a wave of state-level laws passed this year in favor of a unified federal framework.