President Donald Trump stated on Monday that the U.S. Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies have the authority to regulate artificial intelligence if necessary, while reiterating his stance that AI development should remain largely unencumbered by federal restrictions.
Trump asserts DOJ oversight as a safeguard
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "We will be careful, and that's why we have the Department of Justice, and other Law Enforcement bodies, that will rein things in if we have to." He added: "I will only encourage AI or, SI (SUPER INTELLIGENCE)!" This follows his repeated dismissal of AI-related risks, which he has described as a "hoax" comparable to past controversies over climate change and Russia-Ukraine relations.
The president’s remarks came amid growing scrutiny of AI safety practices. Earlier on Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that the administration would not shield frontier AI labs from liability risks. "These labs need to take responsibility for themselves," Bessent said. "They can slow down any time they want to."
Administration maintains light-touch approach
Trump has consistently framed AI development as a critical component of U.S. economic and geopolitical dominance. In his Monday post, he linked AI progress to the U.S.-China technology race, stating: "Whoever wins AI, WINS! We are leading now over China, and everyone else, and I’m going to keep it that way!" He argued that AI’s potential economic impact could surpass that of the Industrial Revolution or the Internet, asserting: "I’m not going to stifle Growth, of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution, or the Internet, itself."
The administration has issued multiple executive actions on AI but has faced skepticism from industry leaders advocating for federal regulation. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, along with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, has renewed calls for the government to impose safety measures on frontier AI models. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have questioned whether AI companies would voluntarily support regulations that could slow development.
Industry and policy responses
The president’s comments follow the resignation of Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher at Anthropic, who warned that companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are "gambling with our lives" by advancing AI without adequate safeguards. Meanwhile, states such as California and Illinois have taken the lead on AI regulation due to congressional gridlock.
Trump’s latest statements underscore a tension between his administration’s pro-growth AI policies and mounting concerns from experts and former officials about the technology’s potential risks. The president has framed these concerns as overblown, comparing them to past warnings about climate change and Russian interference that he deemed unfounded.
Context: AI as a global and domestic priority
The remarks were made as world leaders gathered in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where AI, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts were expected to dominate discussions. The administration’s approach contrasts with international calls for stricter AI governance, particularly from European Union officials advocating for comprehensive regulatory frameworks.
As the debate over AI’s future intensifies, the president’s insistence on minimal federal intervention signals a continued preference for market-driven innovation over prescriptive regulation.