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Trump Delays AI Safety Order After Pushback From Tech Giants

  • Writer: Covertly AI
    Covertly AI
  • May 22
  • 3 min read

President Donald Trump abruptly postponed a major artificial intelligence executive order on Thursday after intense pressure from Silicon Valley leaders who warned the proposal could slow innovation and weaken America’s competitive advantage against China. The move came just hours before a planned White House signing ceremony that would have included executives from some of the world’s largest AI companies, highlighting the growing influence of the tech industry over U.S. AI policy and the increasingly difficult balance between innovation, national security, and regulation.


The proposed executive order was designed to create a voluntary system allowing the federal government to review advanced AI models before they were publicly released. Under the draft plan, companies developing frontier AI systems would have given agencies up to 90 days to test models for dangerous capabilities, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and risks tied to foreign interference or hacking. The order specifically aimed to strengthen protections for banks, utilities, and other critical infrastructure as concerns rise over the rapid advancement of AI systems capable of discovering and exploiting weaknesses in software.


The issue gained urgency after the release of Anthropic’s powerful AI model, Claude Mythos, which reportedly demonstrated advanced abilities to identify cybersecurity flaws in computer systems. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell even convened an emergency meeting with Wall Street executives in April to discuss the potential risks posed by increasingly sophisticated AI models. Government officials feared these systems could eventually be weaponized by cybercriminals or foreign adversaries, especially China, to attack American infrastructure and financial institutions.


Despite these concerns, the executive order faced major opposition from influential technology figures including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and former White House AI and crypto advisor David Sacks. According to reports, these industry leaders made last-minute calls to Trump arguing that the review process, even if technically voluntary, could evolve into a de facto government approval system that would slow down AI development. They warned that delays in releasing new AI products could allow China to gain ground in the global AI race and create opportunities for future administrations to impose stricter regulations on the industry.



Trump ultimately sided with those concerns. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he explained that he did not want to sign anything that could interfere with America’s lead in artificial intelligence. “We’re leading China, we’re leading everybody, and I don’t want to do anything that’s going to get in the way of that lead,” Trump said. Invitations for the signing ceremony had already been sent to executives from companies including OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Meta, and Microsoft before the event was suddenly canceled.


The disagreement exposed growing divisions inside the Trump administration and among Republicans over how AI should be handled. Some officials believe stronger oversight is necessary because of the national security threats posed by frontier AI systems, while others fear regulation could undermine one of America’s most important economic sectors. Vice President JD Vance described the administration’s challenge as balancing innovation with public safety, saying the White House wants the U.S. to “win the AI race” while still protecting people from potential risks tied to the technology.


The debate also reflects broader public anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence. While AI companies promise economic growth and technological breakthroughs, many Americans remain concerned about job losses, rising energy demands, misinformation, and cybersecurity threats. Trump himself has largely promoted a pro-business approach to AI and previously pledged to roll back many of the AI safety measures introduced during President Joe Biden’s administration. However, the administration’s interest in reviewing powerful AI systems suggests growing recognition that the technology may require at least some level of government involvement.


Although the executive order was postponed, officials indicated it is not completely dead and could return in a revised form later. For now, the decision represents a major victory for Silicon Valley leaders who successfully convinced the White House to avoid policies they believed could limit innovation. At the same time, it leaves unresolved questions about how the United States plans to manage the rapidly evolving risks of advanced artificial intelligence while remaining competitive in a global technology race increasingly defined by AI.


Works Cited


Binkley, Collin, and Matt O’Brien. “Trump Calls Off AI Executive Order Over Concern It Could Weaken U.S. Tech Edge.” Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026, https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-05-22/trump-calls-off-ai-executive-order-over-concern-it-could-weaken-u-s-tech-edge.


Dorn, Sara. “Billionaires Including Musk And Zuckerberg Stopped Trump’s Big AI Announcement—Here’s Why.” Forbes, 22 May 2026, https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2026/05/22/billionaires-including-musk-and-zuckerberg-stopped-trumps-big-ai-announcement-heres-why/.




Zakrzewski, Cat, et al. “Pressure from Silicon Valley Helped Block Trump’s Expected Order on AI.” The Washington Post, 22 May 2026, https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/05/22/last-minute-lobbying-by-tech-

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