President Donald Trump is heading into the 2026 election year vowing to pull out all the stops to promote artificial intelligence — just as American voters are starting to voice some doubts.

The executive order is the latest in a series of attempts by the Trump administration to hold back state-level AI rules. But many Republicans are also uncomfortable with the effort.

Congressional Republicans recently decided not to include a Trump-backed plan to block state AI laws in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), although it could be included in other legislation. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has also failed to get congressional backing for legislation that would punish states with AI laws.

As the Trump administration tells it, artificial intelligence is on the verge of ushering in a new economic boom like that the US enjoyed in the 1990s, when real incomes climbed, the unemployment rate tumbled to the lowest in decades, stocks surged and fiscal deficits turned into surpluses.

Sacks is the Trump administration's top advisor on tech and crypto policy. In recent weeks, he's faced questions about conflicts of interest and criticism over his drive to undo state AI laws.

By Jody Godoy Dec 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to bar state laws on artificial intelligence that he says slow innovation will face political and legal opposition from states seeking to preserve their right to regulate the rapidly growing technology.

Governor Gavin Newsom visited Pacific Palisades and Altadena, meeting with fire victims and those helping in the rebuild. He also spoke about AI.

The order creates an "AI Litigation Task Force" to challenge state laws and uses federal funds for broadband access as a bargaining chip.