WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced plans on Saturday to establish a new “AI Force” and appoint an “AI czar,” setting a clear directive for his administration to prioritize the rapid expansion of the artificial intelligence sector while explicitly rejecting calls for new government constraints.
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump likened the new initiative to his first-term establishment of the Space Force, though he provided no operational details, mandate, staffing plan, or timetable for the proposed AI body.
“For this purpose, I am forming the AI Force, much like I did Space Force, which has been a tremendous SUCCESS, in my First Term,” Trump wrote. “To that end, I will be announcing, in the near future, the AI ‘Czar’ — Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!”
The announcement draws a sharp line in the escalating debate over the future of artificial intelligence. In recent weeks, prominent industry leaders—including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and xAI’s Elon Musk—have expressed growing safety concerns, with some urging companies to slow the pace of frontier AI development. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) have introduced legislation aimed at temporarily pausing advanced AI development and permanently banning artificial superintelligence until strict federal safety rules are in place.
Trump summarily dismissed these concerns, characterizing fears of catastrophic AI harm as a “hoax” perpetuated by political opponents.
“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!” Trump stated, adding that any harmful uses of the technology could easily be policed by the “already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System” rather than through new, AI-specific regulations.
Framing the technology as a vital national interest, the president linked the continued unhindered development of AI to both economic prosperity and geopolitical dominance, particularly in competition with China.
He described artificial intelligence as “the next Industrial Revolution, or Internet, but will be even larger and more impactful,” projecting that the technology could eventually account for as much as 25% of the United States’ gross domestic product (GDP).
“We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way!” he wrote.
While the creation of an AI Force offers a new federal oversight label, analysts note that a monitoring plan without a defined regulatory mandate could serve more as a coordinating body than an enforcement agency. If the appointment of a new czar moves forward, it will be the second such appointment in Trump’s administration, following venture capitalist David Sacks, who stepped down from the role earlier this year to become an external advisor.
As Washington debates the risks of self-improving AI and data center expansion, Trump’s latest move signals that the executive branch intends to treat rapid progress and unconstrained industry growth as the primary mechanism for maintaining America’s technological advantage.