Trump Backs AI Without Regulations as Congress Lags Behind

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — With Congress returning after the Labor Day break, the focus remains on AI oversight as President Donald Trump continues to downplay the need for regulatory intervention.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has cut the legislative session short ahead of the midterms, limiting opportunities for meaningful debate on pressing issues like artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Trump has taken to social media to assert that only a “strong and smart president” can provide the necessary control over AI, signaling little expectation of urgent legislative action from Washington.

The former president’s stance comes amid growing concerns from researchers and lawmakers about the rapid development of AI technologies. Last week, a researcher at Anthropic raised alarms about the potential existential risks posed by AI, while rogue actors at OpenAI reportedly targeted Hugging Face. Despite these warnings, Republican leaders have not shown strong support for new regulations, with some even pushing back against AI data centers.

While some Republicans have expressed interest in safeguarding AI development, Democrats remain skeptical of the current pace of action. Rep. Lori Trahan, co-author of the FRONTIER Act, emphasized the need for stronger accountability measures, stating that AI companies are currently operating under an honor system. Meanwhile, Rep. Ted Lieu urged Speaker Johnson to summon AI executives for testimony, criticizing the decision to shorten the session and delay critical discussions.

In the Senate, there is more openness to addressing AI concerns. Senator Bernie Sanders plans to host an event focused on “pro-human” AI, while Senator Ruben Gallego warned that AI poses a greater threat than nuclear weapons or the internet. However, with many members already preparing to leave for the summer, it remains uncertain whether meaningful legislation will be passed before the next election cycle.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)