CBCFEXECUTIVEORDERTRACKER
DateIssued:December11,2025
Topic:AI,Technology
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
ThisexecutiveorderestablishestheTrumpAdministration’sgoalto “sustainandenhancetheUnitedStates’globalartificialintelligence(AI) dominancethroughaminimallyburdensomenationalpolicy framework.”Theorderalsooutlinesaplantosueorrevokegrantfunding fromstatesthatpassmorerestrictiveAIlawsthanthefederal government.
TheorderonlypermitsstatestopassstricterAIlawsthanthefederal frameworktoprotectchildren’ssafetyortoestablishAIprocurement contractsforstategovernmentanddatacenterinfrastructure.
Theorderseekstolimitstates’abilitytoregulateAIcompanies. By restrictingstate-leveloversight,theadministrationnarrowsthetools availabletogovernorsandlegislaturestoaddressemergingharmsand protectresidentsfromthedownstreameffectsofuncheckedAI deployment.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderwillprimarilybeenforcedbytheAttorneyGeneral (AG)andtheSecretaryofCommerce,withconsultationfromtheSpecial AdvisortothePresidentforAIandCryptoandtheAssistanttothe PresidentforScienceandTechnology.
TheorderinstructstheAGtoestablishanAILitigationTaskForceto challengestateAIlawsthatpreemptfederalregulationsortheInterstate CommerceClause,whichgrantsCongresstheauthoritytoregulate commerceamongstates,andmorebroadly,tooverseeeconomic activitiesacrossstateboundaries.
TheorderinstructstheSecretaryofCommercetoevaluateexistingstatelevelAIlaws.AnylawsthatrequireAIalgorithmsto“altertheirtruthful outputs,orthatmaycompelAIdevelopersordeployerstodiscloseor reportinformationinamannerthatwouldviolatetheFirstAmendmentor anyotherprovisionoftheConstitution”aretobereferredthemtotheAI LitigationTaskForce.
TheorderalsodirectstheSecretarytocatalogstatesthathave policiesthatencourageAIinnovationinconjunctionwiththisorder.
TheordertaskstheSecretaryofCommercewithissuingamemo prohibitingstatesthathave“onerous”AIlawsfromreceivingfundingfrom theBroadbandEquityAccessandDeployment(BEAD)Program.The memo,duewithin90daysoftheorder’sissuance,isalsorequiredto outlinehowapiecemealstate-levelAIregulatorylandscapewould underminetheBEADprogram’sgoalofnationwidehigh-speedinternet access.
Theorderdirectsfederalagenciestorequirestatestoadheretothe “minimallyburdensome”federalAIpolicydescribedinthisordertobe eligiblefordiscretionarygrants.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
TheorderdirectstheChairoftheFederalCommunicationsCommission todetermineifitwouldbebeneficialtodevelopfederalreportingand disclosurestandardsforAImodelsthatpreemptconflictingstatelaws.
TheorderdirectstheSpecialAdvisorforAIandCryptoandtheAssistant tothePresidentforScienceandTechnologytoconsultwiththe aforementionedleaderswithin90daysofthisorder’sissuance.Theorder alsoinstructsthemtojointlypreparealegislativerecommendationofa uniformfederalpolicyframeworkforAIthatpreemptsstateAIlawsthat conflictwiththepolicyestablishedinthisorder.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
ThisexecutiveorderisacontinuationoftheTrumpAdministration’sefforts toadvanceAIintheUnitedStateswithoutguardrailstoensurethat communitiesofcolorareprotected.AlgorithmicbiasinAItoolshas contributedtodiscriminationthatmakesitmoredifficultforqualified BlackAmericanswith“ethnicsounding”namestobeconsideredforjobs orreceivemortgageloanstohelpbecomehomeowners.Whileseveral stateshavemovedtoregulatetheuseofAIinrentalapplicationsand homebuyingprocessestoaddresstheseinequities,thisexecutiveorder willjeopardizetheirabilitytoreceivefederalfunding.Thisisabipartisan issue.NewYorkGovernorKathyHochul(D)signedlegislationtoprohibit landlordsfromusingAItodeterminerentpricing,whileFloridaGovernor RonDeSantis(R)hasbeenoneofthemostoutspokenopponentsofAI use.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
Thisorderwillnotonlytargetstatesworkingtopreventthenegative consequencesofAIbutwillalsodeterstatesfromimplementingAI policiesinthefuturebythreateningtosueorrevokingfederalfunding. TheBEADprogramfundstheimplementationofbroadbandinternetin ruralareas,andtheTrumpAdministrationisrequiringstatestoadhereto AIpoliciesthatdonotaddressdigitaldiscriminationinordertoreceive aid.Bydoingso,thisorderisforcingstateleaderstochoosebetween protectingtheirresidentsfromtheharmsofAIorupgradingthe technologynecessarytoclosethedigitaldividefortheirconstituents.
TheTrumpAdministrationhascontinuedtoaccelerateAIinnovationat theexpenseoftheenvironmentinwaysthatcompromisethehealthof BlackAmericans.Foreachkilowatthourofenergyadatacenterpowering AImodelsconsumes,itwouldneedtwolitersofwaterforcooling,raising equityissuesinenergyandpollution.Thishascontributedtoincreased energypricesacrossthecountry.Additionally,PresidentTrumpsignedan executiveorderinJulyauthorizingBrownfieldsandSuperfundsites,many ofwhicharedisproportionatelylocatedinornearBlackcommunities,for AIinfrastructuredevelopment.AnAIdatacenterinapredominantlyBlack areaofTennesseehasbeenlinkedtohigherratesofrespiratoryillnesses andcancer,anissueoverwhichtheNAACPissuingthecompanyon behalfofresidents.
WhilerollingbackmostAIregulations,theTrumpAdministrationhas supportedafewtargetedmeasures.InJuly,PresidentTrumpissuedan executiveorderprohibitingAIdevelopersfromusingdiversity,equity,and inclusion(DEI)principlesintheirlargelanguagemodelsinaneffortto prevent“wokeAI.”PresidentTrump’sAIagendaprioritizesinnovationover theinclusionandsafetyofBlackAmericans.
MembersoftheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)havebeenonthe frontlinesofthefighttoimplementequitableAIpolicies.OnDecember2, CBCChairRep.YvetteD.ClarkejoinedCBCmembersRepresentatives AyannaPressleyandSummerLee,tointroducetheAICivilRightsAct, whichwouldholdtechcompaniesaccountableforanyharmtheirAItools maycausetousers.Rep.Clarkegavethefollowingstatementatthepress conferenceannouncingthelegislation:
“TheAICivilRightsActrepresentsaboldnewfrontinourongoing battletoprotecttherights,dignity,andsafetyofeveryAmerican.From developerstodeployers,thislegislationwillplacestrict,strong,and unambiguousguardrailsonthecreationanduseofartificial intelligence.[…]Together,wearemakingitveryclearthatinnovation mustnevercomeattheexpenseofcivilrightsorjustice.”Full Statement