President Donald Trump thinks that he should be in charge of overseeing and regulating artificial intelligence—not actual experts.
“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday.
He later added that “the only reason the AI/Data Center outburst is happening is because the United States is leading, by a lot, every other country.”
Similarly, Vice President JD Vance told reporters that AI companies who have voiced support for regulation seem “like a bit of a Trojan Horse.”
Trump and Vance’s comments are in response to an essay from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who called for a slowdown in AI development. He cited concerns about AI agents becoming unpredictable and outstripping the guardrails put in place by the companies that have created them.
Amodei also said that companies should have independent reviews of their operations and safety standards.
Other AI industry leaders voiced support for the essay, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and even close Trump ally Elon Musk.
Trump’s proclamation that he’s a uniquely capable “high IQ” person who can understand the nuances and implications of advanced AI technology runs counter to what is known of Trump and his deep ignorance.
For instance, Trump has repeatedly [attacked](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/6/12/2327566/news/Trump-thinks-windmills-are-killing-our-country-yes-really/) windmills, incorrectly arguing that the occasional lack of wind and even bird strikes could cause blackouts. He also [claimed](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/1/28/2299742/news/Trump-thinks-he-invaded-California-and-turned-on-a-magic-water-faucet/) that Canada has a “very large faucet” that could be used to fight wildfires in California.
For years, Trump has [argued](https://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-presidential-debate-fact-check/2016/09/fact-trump-claimed-climate-change-is-a-hoax-created-by-china-228711) that climate change—a globally acknowledged and quantified phenomenon—is merely a “hoax” created by China.
Both in his capacity as an entertainer and as president, Trump has never demonstrated the sort of intelligence required to deal with complex issues, let alone the possible fallout from something as powerful as AI.
In contrast to Trump’s call for no rules, multiple Democrats have been pushing for federal legislation that would provide guardrails for future AI developments.
In response, the AI industry has spent millions in elections through well-funded political action committees that oppose federal rules and oversight, pushing for the industry to police itself.
Trump and the GOP have tied themselves to AI interests, with figures like Musk as major donors to the party. But while the AI industry backs Republicans who oppose oversight, the public has shown bipartisan opposition to AI—particularly the construction of data centers.
Despite the public’s obvious opposition, Trump thinks he’s the only one capable of overseeing AI—just like he oversaw COVID-19, tariffs, and his war in Iran.
Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos