On Saturday evening, President Donald Trump used his Truth Social platform to unveil a two-part plan aimed at shaping the United States’ approach to artificial intelligence. The post, published at 20:32 on 19/09/2026, declared the formation of an AI Force and the forthcoming appointment of an AI czar. Trump framed apprehensions about the lack of federal guardrails as a “hoax” and pledged that the new structure would protect the nation’s competitive edge, especially against China.
What the AI Force and AI czar are meant to do
According to the president’s statement, the AI Force will operate “much like” the earlier Space Force a branch he frequently cites as a triumph from his first term. He suggested that the existing criminal and civil justice system could be leveraged to hunt down “bad” actors in the AI sphere, implying that no new legislative framework is necessary. The AI czar, he added, will be recruited from “high-IQ individuals,” echoing his belief that intelligence at the top of government is the only real safeguard.
Tech leaders push back, Obama weighs in
Trump’s dismissal of regulatory safeguards coincided with a day when Dario Amodei chief executive of Anthropic urged the industry to apply the brakes so safety measures could catch up. Other prominent figures, including Elon Musk and Sam Altman publicly aligned with Amodei’s cautionary stance. In response, Trump labeled the critics as “negative forces” and even described the push for slower development as a “sick conspiracy” that benefits China alone.
Former President Barack Obama entered the conversation a day later, urging that the nation’s leading companies should voluntarily temper the speed of AI progress. In a fireside chat at Colgate University, Obama emphasized that “government has to be regulating this,” framing the issue as a long-term policy challenge rather than a partisan squabble.
White House logistics and upcoming deliberations
While Trump offered broad slogans, details about the AI czar’s mandate or the organizational placement of the AI Force remain scarce. The White House has not confirmed whether the new unit will sit within the military hierarchy or function as a civilian agency. However, the National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett indicated that senior officials overseeing cyber, science and technology policy are slated to meet this week to discuss concrete next steps.
International observers have framed the dispute as more than a domestic policy row. An Al-Jazeera Net commentary highlighted that the debate now mirrors a broader Washington-Beijing rivalry, portraying Trump’s stance as a refusal to introduce “new safety constraints” and characterizing calls for caution as a “nefarious conspiracy” that primarily aids China.
Amid the rhetoric, a separate warning surfaced from former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon who resigned and warned that unchecked AI development could “kill everyone by the end of this decade.” The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk echoed the gravity of the moment, noting that humanity stands on the brink of a transformation that could jeopardize fundamental rights.
Despite the chorus of alarm, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to unfettered progress, stating, “We will not in any way hinder or stifle the growth of this incredible industry.” He concluded his post by stressing that the United States leads China and the rest of the world in AI, and that he intends to keep it that way.
