Trump Administration Pauses Plan to Challenge State AI Laws
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has temporarily halted a planned executive order that would have established a legal task force to challenge state-level artificial intelligence regulations, according to sources cited by Reuters. The move comes after the administration explored multiple avenues to establish a single federal standard for AI governance.
The initial effort to preempt state laws was included in Trump’s “Big Stunning Bill,” proposing a 10-year ban on state AI regulation. However, the Senate overwhelmingly removed this provision in a 99-1 vote on July 1, 2025. the administration then reportedly drafted an executive order that would threaten states with contested AI laws with the loss of federal broadband funding, while simultaneously launching legal challenges through a newly formed AI Litigation Task Force.
President Trump initially signaled his preference for a national approach on November 19, 2025, stating in a social media post on Truth Social, “The AI Industry needs one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes.”
The paused executive order, if enacted, would likely have faced opposition from Republicans who previously criticized the proposed moratorium on state regulation. The debate also reflects divisions within Silicon Valley, where some figures – notably those associated with the Trump administration - have attacked companies like Anthropic for supporting AI safety legislation, such as California’s SB 53, signed into law on September 29, 2025. Some Trump officials previously accused Anthropic of “AI fear-mongering” on October 21, 2025.
