Trump Weighs AI Model Vetting: A Policy U-Turn

Key Takeaways

• The Trump administration is discussing an executive order that would create government review of AI models before release
• This reverses the administration's earlier position when it revoked Biden's AI safety order within hours of taking office
• The proposed working group would include tech executives and government officials developing oversight procedures

The Trump administration is quietly exploring an executive order that would require government review of AI models before companies can release them to the public. White House staff briefed leaders from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI on the plans last week, according to unnamed U.S. officials cited by the New York Times.

A White House official told the Times that talk of an executive order is "speculation." But if the discussions are real, they mark a sharp reversal for an administration that built its AI policy brand on deregulation.

The proposed order would create a working group of tech executives and government officials to develop oversight procedures. Some officials want a system granting the government first access to new models without blocking their commercial release.

From Deregulation Champion to Oversight Architect

This potential shift comes from an administration that revoked Biden's AI safety executive order within hours of taking office in January 2025. For most of the past year, Trump officials positioned themselves as the industry's deregulatory champions.

Vice President JD Vance told an international AI gathering in Paris that the future of AI "wouldn't be won through safety concerns but by building," according to the New York Times.

The administration's shift is particularly notable given its previous attacks on companies advocating for AI oversight.

The Anthropic Conflict

In October 2025, David Sacks, then the White House's AI and crypto czar, publicly accused Anthropic of "running a sophisticated regulatory capture strategy based on fear-mongering." Sacks pointed to CEO Dario Amodei's endorsement of Kamala Harris, his characterization of Trump as a "feudal warlord," and the company's hiring of multiple Biden-era officials to its policy team.

Anthropic's monthly lobbying spend grew by roughly 511% over Trump's second term, reaching $1.1 million per month by late 2025, according to the Washington Examiner. The company lobbied against a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation in the Big Beautiful Bill, supported California's SB 53 transparency requirements, and donated $20 million to Public First Action, a political group calling for stricter AI oversight.

Now the administration appears to be building precisely the type of oversight structure that Anthropic advocated for. The difference: the government would hold the keys.

Pentagon Precedent

The Times reported that some officials want a system granting the government first access to new models without blocking their commercial release. This is functionally what the Pentagon demanded from Anthropic before their relationship collapsed.

The timing coincides with growing bipartisan interest in AI oversight. Just this Monday, Dean Ball, a former Trump administration AI adviser, and Ben Buchanan, a former Biden White House AI adviser, co-authored a New York Times op-ed calling on Congress to mandate third-party audits of AI development.

What This Could Mean in Practice

If implemented, a government vetting requirement could slow AI releases. Companies would need to factor review timelines into product roadmaps. The exact scope matters: would it cover foundation models only, or fine-tuned applications? Would there be thresholds based on model size or capability?

The working group structure suggests the administration wants industry input on these details rather than imposing top-down rules. That's a different approach than the Biden-era executive order, which set specific reporting requirements.

For now, the discussions remain early-stage. The White House has not confirmed any concrete plans, and executive orders can be revised heavily before signing. But the fact that these conversations are happening at all signals a shift in how the administration views AI governance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What would the proposed AI executive order require?

The reported order would create a government review process for AI models before public release, with a working group of tech executives and officials developing oversight procedures.

Why is this a reversal for the Trump administration?

The administration revoked Biden's AI safety executive order within hours of taking office and positioned itself as pro-deregulation. Officials previously attacked companies like Anthropic for advocating AI oversight.

Which AI companies have been briefed on the plans?

According to the New York Times, White House staff briefed leaders from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI on the proposed executive order last week.

Would this block AI companies from releasing models?

Some officials reportedly want a system granting the government first access to new models without blocking their commercial release, though final details remain uncertain.

Source: Latest from Tom's Hardware