President Donald Trump’s opposition to federal artificial intelligence rules aligns closely with billionaire venture capitalist David Sacks, who argues that regulation will erase the United States lead in the global AI race, according to recent policy announcements and public statements. While lawmakers from both political parties and top industry executives call for stricter oversight, the White House has consistently pursued a soft-touch approach guided by Sacks, its onetime AI and crypto czar.
David Sacks Shapes White House AI Policy and State Preemption
Sacks has continuously counseled the president to loosen restrictions on advanced technologies, pushing for executive orders and administrative measures designed to preempt state-level rules. Last December, according to official records, Trump signed an executive order establishing a federal task force with the sole responsibility of challenging state laws that limit artificial intelligence development. The administration subsequently unveiled a policy encouraging Congress to override state regulations entirely.
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This alignment was further highlighted during a Washington AI summit hosted by Trump and Sacks. According to NBC News, Sacks is slated to attend an upcoming White House meeting where Trump will host China’s leader, Xi Jinping, alongside several prominent technology chief executives.
Did you know? David Sacks co-founded Craft Ventures in 2017, a fund that has raised hundreds of millions of dollars and holds investments in dozens of artificial intelligence startups, alongside major technology firms like SpaceX and Palantir.
Critics Argue Wealth Grants Direct Access to Policy
The close relationship between the administration and Silicon Valley investors has drawn sharp criticism from good-government groups. Isabel Sunderland, the policy lead for technology reform at the non-profit Issue One, stated that the dynamic demonstrates the influence of wealth in politics.
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“David Sacks advising President Trump on AI shows exactly how our political system serves the wealthy and well-connected instead of everyday Americans,” Sunderland said, according to public statements. “This is about more than just AI regulation – it’s about who’s allowed to write the rules.”
Tech Executives and Researchers Clash Over Safety Protocols
Tensions surrounding artificial intelligence safety escalated after an Anthropic employee, Jacob Coxon, announced his resignation on social media, warning that upcoming systems could become superhuman by 2030 and pose existential risks. Additional Anthropic employees supported these predictions publicly, prompting widespread media attention and calls from lawmakers for immediate intervention.
In response, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei issued a proposal to slow down model advancement and institute mandatory public safety regulations. In a rare display of industry unity, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis, and xAI owner Elon Musk agreed with the need for caution.
Concurrently, more than 100 researchers, professors, and technologists—including prominent computer scientist Stuart Russell and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton—signed a public letter urging independent third-party evaluations of advanced models.
Sacks Dismisses Safety Proposals as Censorship
Sacks pushed back forcefully against the safety proposals on social media, characterizing the push for third-party evaluations as “pseudoscience” and “censorship and control.” He compared the current warnings to past media narratives surrounding COVID-19 and political investigations.
“The last time we had media-generated panics like this (with Russiagate and Covid), social media companies created ‘trust & safety’ teams to censor conservative and dissident voices,” Sacks wrote online. “These groups haven’t earned our trust, and their agenda is not our safety.”
Addressing Dario Amodei directly, Sacks wrote in a social media post: “If the unreleased models are scary enough that you think you should slow down, I support your decision to be responsible. But stop pretending you need anyone else’s permission.”
Internal Division Within the Trump Administration
Despite the president’s reliance on Sacks, other senior administration officials have voiced concerns regarding the potential societal impacts of unchecked artificial intelligence development. According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have advised Trump to mandate increased oversight.
A poll conducted by Bryson Gillette Insights for the Future of Life Institute found that 85% of self-identified Republicans support the president taking strong action to ensure artificial intelligence is developed safely.
“Running the David Sacks playbook on AI might be the biggest miscalculation the Trump administration has made,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, pointing to potential political ramifications for lawmakers aligned with big tech figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did David Sacks hold in the White House?
While the role exempted him from congressional confirmation hearings, it limited his service to 130 days per year and required certain asset divestments.
Why are technology leaders divided on AI regulation?
Some executives, such as Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, advocate for slow-downs and government oversight to mitigate long-term existential risks. Conversely, investors like David Sacks argue that regulation amounts to regulatory capture and will cause the United States to lose its competitive edge against international rivals like China.
What specific actions has the White House taken regarding state AI laws?
President Trump signed an executive order establishing a federal task force directed at challenging state-level legislation that restricts artificial intelligence development, supported by a policy framework encouraging Congress to preempt state rules.
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