Donald Trump Seeks Federal Preemption of State AI Laws

Donald Trump is advocating for the federal preemption of state-level artificial intelligence regulations to ensure the United States remains competitive against China. The president has called on congressional Republicans to introduce preemption language either through a standalone bill or as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would replace a patchwork of roughly 100 AI measures currently enacted by 38 states.

A leaked executive order titled "Eliminating State Law Obstruction of National AI Policy" revealed plans to direct the Justice Department to challenge local laws and the Commerce Department to withhold broadband funding from non-compliant states. However, the White House withheld the order following pushback from members of the GOP.

The proposal faces significant opposition from within the Republican party. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Chip Roy, along with Senators Marsha Blackburn and Josh Hawley, have criticized the move as federal overreach. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise stated that the NDAA is not the appropriate venue for such language, suggesting a standalone law would likely struggle to clear the Senate filibuster.