Disruption

AI legislation falters as White House applies pressure

The president is pushing back against regulation he has described as ‘excessive.’
Flanked by Sen. Ted Cruz R-Texas, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks, President Donald Trump receives a pen from Senior White House Policy Advisor on AI Sriram Krishnan as he signs an AI initiative in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

A Republican-sponsored artificial intelligence safety bill in Utah is likely dead after the Trump administration opposed the measure, making it among the first apparent casualties of the White House effort to squelch state-level AI regulations.

An AI bill of rights in Florida — a priority of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis — also stalled out after reported opposition from the administration. And in Virginia, Democrats in the majority tabled or killed more than a dozen AI bills this year, partly due to concerns about losing access to federal broadband dollars.

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