The Trump administration is focusing on state-level AI regulation, with the president announcing on social media this week that the industry needs “one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes.”
This follows an earlier attempt to impose a 10-year ban on state AI regulation, which was part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” but was ultimately removed by the Senate in a 99-1 vote.
Reports suggest the administration is now drafting an executive order to create an AI Litigation Task Force aimed at challenging state AI laws through lawsuits. States that have laws under scrutiny may also face threats of losing federal broadband funding.
However, Reuters indicates that this executive order is currently on hold. If it moves forward, it might encounter strong opposition, even from Republicans who had previously criticized the idea of a moratorium on state regulation.
AI regulation remains a contentious issue in Silicon Valley, with some figures—especially those aligned with the Trump administration—taking aim at companies like Anthropic for backing AI safety legislation, such as California’s SB 53.
