President Donald Trump and his administration are pushing a deadlocked Congress to enact a national AI regulatory framework, criticizing state-level laws as a patchwork that burdens innovation. Republican state lawmakers, frustrated by federal inaction, continue passing their own AI regulations focused on child safety and transparency. The White House recently released principles it wants Congress to adopt.
President Donald Trump arrived in Miami on March 27, 2026, ahead of remarks at the FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami Beach. His administration has intensified calls for Congress to create a unified national framework for artificial intelligence regulation, arguing it would provide certainty for innovators and prevent a patchwork of state laws. Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, stated earlier this week, 'We want to create an environment where innovators have certainty about the way that they can develop their products and it's something only congress can provide. The first step is to create one national framework so we can avoid a patchwork.' The White House released a regulatory framework outlining principles such as protecting children from harm and shielding consumers from data center costs, urging Congress to enact it. Advisors like David Sacks, the AI and crypto czar, echo concerns that state laws hinder innovation. In Utah, Republican State Rep. Doug Fiefia proposed a bill requiring tech companies to disclose consumer protections, but it stalled after a White House memo deemed it 'unfixable' and against the administration's agenda. Fiefia, a former Google employee, noted Congress's gridlock leaves states to protect constituents, especially children. A White House official told NPR on background that the administration has not blocked state child safety measures. Similar efforts persist elsewhere: Pennsylvania Republican State Sen. Tracy Pennycuick sponsored the SAFECHAT Act mandating safeguards against AI chatbots promoting self-harm or violence. Texas Republican State Sen. Angela Paxton supports strong federal rules but sees states filling the gap, warning unregulated tech is the 'wild west.' Reactions vary. Riki Parikh of the Alliance for Secure AI called the framework insufficient on accountability and job impacts. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti welcomed it as progress after opposing a prior White House-backed 10-year state moratorium push, which failed. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, is advancing her TRUMP AMERICA AI Act to expand the framework. Polls show majority concern over Trump's Big Tech ties and Republican support for AI regulation. The White House reports ongoing talks with legislators.
