Trump delays AI executive order amid China competition fears
The White House ceremony was cancelled after concerns that the measure could hurt U.S. competitiveness with China, with Meta's Zuckerberg and xAI's Musk reportedly lobbying against it. The postponement follows Trump's scrapping of Biden's 2023 AI order.
May 22nd 2026 · United States
President Donald Trump postponed signing an executive order on artificial intelligence at the White House on Thursday, citing concerns that the measure could undermine U.S. leadership over China in AI development. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he did not like certain aspects of the text and decided to delay the ceremony, which was supposed to include major tech CEOs. The executive order would have created a voluntary framework for AI developers to engage with the government before the public release of advanced AI models and directed the U.S. government to use advanced AI to improve cybersecurity defenses for critical infrastructure including banks and hospitals. The postponement was reportedly triggered by concerns over Anthropic's new AI model called Mythos, which the company has refused to release publicly due to safety fears. The company has warned that Mythos could supercharge complex cyber attacks. The event also exposed significant divisions within the administration: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been pushing for safeguards against AI models that could give bad actors considerable new powers, while Trump's former AI czar David Sacks advocates for a hands-off regulatory approach. Reports suggest the postponement came amid pressure from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and xAI founder Elon Musk, though neither company responded to requests for comment. Trump scrapped a 2023 AI executive order from former President Joe Biden on his first day back in the White House and has positioned himself as an advocate for rapid AI development, dismissing regulation as a constraint on U.S. competitiveness with China. The administration had been negotiating with AI companies over the timeframe for sharing safety test results, with companies seeking a shorter window before mandatory disclosure. The postponement comes as a backlash against AI gathers pace across the United States, with voters rebelling against data centers and polls showing negative public attitudes toward the technology.