Trump Administration Divided Over AI Regulation

Deep divisions are roiling the Trump administration as officials struggle to determine whether they can revive the executive order on AI regulation that President Donald Trump abruptly scrapped last month, according to multiple sources familiar with internal discussions.

The weeks since the cancellation have been marked by confusion and disarray, leaving both key figures in Silicon Valley and administration aides uncertain about the path forward. Several AI executives have privately told WIRED that they remain unclear on what a revised order might demand, or whether any such directive will ever be signed.

Trump canceled the planned signing ceremony for the order on May 21, just hours before it was set to occur. At the time, he told reporters that the measure risked stifling domestic competition and weakening the US advantage over China in the global AI race.

The most controversial element of the scrapped order was a provision for a voluntary framework. Under that plan, leading AI labs such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google would grant the White House early access to their models before public release, allowing officials to assess cybersecurity risks.

At its heart, the push for regulation reflects a growing realization inside the White House that AI has become a pressing national security concern. This is especially true given the capabilities of models like Anthropic’s Mythos and OpenAI’s GPT-5.5, which have proven highly effective at identifying vulnerabilities in older software systems. The effort signals a notable shift for an administration that initially resisted any form of AI oversight.

The draft order also proposed that AI labs could submit their models up to 90 days before public release. However, several AI executives tell WIRED that their companies may not be ready to hand over models that far in advance. Some industry leaders and administration aides remain hopeful that a revised executive order could emerge, preserving its less contentious elements.

Whether the administration can successfully resurrect an AI executive order now largely hinges on the ability of top White House officials to unite competing factions, according to aides across multiple agencies involved in the process.

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has taken the lead in coordinating a group of senior officials pushing for the order’s revival. That group includes treasury secretary Scott Bessent and national cyber director Sean Cairncross, a former Republican political operative, the aides say.

Bessent has emerged as a key player in the administration’s AI policy debates. In recent weeks, he has met with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and other AI executives to map out a path forward, according to the aides. He is also expected to take a leading role in negotiating cross-border AI regulation with China.

Standing in opposition to Wiles is Trump’s former AI czar, David Sacks. Sacks reportedly told Trump that the executive order would be too burdensome and successfully urged him to cancel the signing just hours before it was scheduled. Politico earlier reported on the Sacks-Wiles dynamic.

In a post on X last week, Sacks wrote, “President Trump understands that unnecessary regulation is the biggest threat to innovation in America. Winning the AI race means not only beating China but also clearing bureaucratic hurdles thrown up by state legislatures and woke politicians in DC.”

But the biggest obstacle to reviving regulation may be Trump himself, the aides said. “Resolving the infighting only matters if it gets Trump to yes,” one administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Liz Huston said the administration is working to find the right balance in AI regulation. “The President’s team is united in executing his bold agenda and maintaining this critical balance,” Huston said.