Could MAGA Turn Trump Against AI?
May 19, 2026
For the first year of Trump’s second term, the administration’s approach to AI could basically be summed up by the phrase “let them cook.” The Tech Right argued that resisting regulation was an inherently conservative stance—so Trump and officials like David Sacks happily cheered on the AI industry as it built ever-more-powerful models, disrupted industries, and propelled the stock market to new heights.
But that pro-tech contingent in Trump’s White House is now in danger of being overtaken by an AI safety movement within MAGA. Sacks announced he was stepping away from his White House role in March. Within the last couple of weeks, reports have emerged that influential figures like Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have been pushing for AI guardrails.
