Trump delays AI security executive order over concerns of hindering U.S. leadership

Postponement of AI Security Order

President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed the signing of a highly anticipated executive order that would have mandated pre-release government security reviews for artificial intelligence models. The decision came hours before the planned signing ceremony, for which the White House had already sent invitations to executives from leading technology companies.

Trump informed reporters that he decided to postpone the action because he was dissatisfied with certain aspects of the order's language. "I postponed it," Trump said. He further stated, "I didn't like certain aspects" of the text.

Concerns Over Global Competitiveness

The primary motivation for the delay, according to the President, is the desire to maintain the United States' competitive edge in the AI sector. Trump expressed concern that the mandates within the order could obstruct American leadership in the field, particularly in relation to other global powers.

"I think it gets in the way of … we're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's gonna get in [the way]" Trump told reporters. The Orlando Sentinel reported that he worried the order could dull America's edge on AI technology.

Context of AI Oversight

The executive order was intended to address rising concerns regarding cybersecurity threats posed by cutting-edge AI models. The proposed framework would have required the government to review these models for security vulnerabilities before they were released to the public.

This move follows previous administration efforts to establish a national policy framework for AI. In December 2025, the White House issued a presidential action aimed at promoting U.S. national and economic security and dominance in AI by eliminating state-law obstructions to national policy.

Parallel State Action

While the federal government's security order was delayed, state-level action continued on Thursday. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a separate executive order designed to address concerns regarding massive job displacement caused by AI disruption. Newsom's action occurred as President Trump was preparing to sign the now-postponed federal order.