Trump and Johnson Reject AI Moratorium Ahead of Executive Meeting

President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have rejected calls for a moratorium on artificial intelligence development, arguing that a pause would jeopardize national security and grant China a strategic advantage. Trump dismissed existential fears regarding the technology as a political "hoax" and a "sick conspiracy," asserting that strong presidential leadership provides sufficient safeguards.

In coordination with Johnson, the White House will summon executives from major AI providers within the next week to discuss balanced guardrails, including transparency and independent auditors. Johnson advocated for industry self-regulation, though he acknowledged the need for auditing. This move follows warnings from former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon, which prompted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to request a classified briefing.

Opposition to the administration's stance comes from both sides of the political spectrum. Senator Bernie Sanders and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon called for binding safety rules and a development pause, with Sanders warning that AI could eliminate millions of jobs and create biosecurity risks. While bipartisan bills proposing national safety standards and mandatory kill switches are in development, Congress is unlikely to pass significant legislation before the House's extended recess.

AI is expected to be a primary topic of discussion during an upcoming meeting in Washington between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.