President Donald Trump strongly defended the need for a unified national strategy to regulate artificial intelligence, emphasizing on Truth Social that “there must be one single rulebook if we want to continue leading artificial intelligence worldwide.”

Trump’s push to establish a clear national direction for AI development has sparked political and legal debate. For his administration, maintaining U.S. technological leadership is a strategic priority — especially against China — and also a major driver of investment in the country.

Even so, the White House faces resistance in Congress, where some Democrats and certain Republicans express concerns about the potential economic and social impacts of AI.

Trump, however, insists that the United States cannot slow its own progress. “We are ahead of ALL OTHER COUNTRIES right now, but that won’t last if we let 50 states — including some bad actors — get involved in the RULES and APPROVAL PROCESS,” he wrote.
“There can be NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS. AI WILL BE DESTROYED IN ITS INFANCY. I will be issuing a ONE-RULE Executive Order (for the entire country) this week.”

Polls show that concerns about AI’s impact on the job market are rising, especially among younger Americans. Still, the Trump administration maintains that fragmented state regulations would harm innovation and threaten national security.

According to a draft obtained last month by The Hill, the White House has already created a special task force to challenge state-level AI laws in court. Trump is also considering limiting certain federal funds to states that block technological progress.

Experts such as Huang — who testified before Congress last week — argue that a patchwork of state regulations would slow AI development and weaken America’s position in an increasingly competitive global race.
Meanwhile, industry leaders warn that more than 1,000 AI-related bills are currently circulating in state legislatures, underscoring the urgency of establishing a clear, consistent national policy.