President Donald Trump said Saturday that he intends to create an “AI Force” and later appoint an “AI Czar” to promote American artificial-intelligence development while watching for abuses, as Washington confronts questions about jobs, national security, and competition with China.
The proposal adds a new leadership structure to an already crowded field of technology policy, but nearly every important detail remains open. Trump did not say where the organization would sit inside the government, who would serve on it, what it would cost, or whether establishing it would require an executive order, new legislation, or both.
He made the announcement in a lengthy Truth Social post that attacked critics of rapid AI expansion and accused Democrats of trying to weaken an industry he called strategically important. “We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” Trump wrote, promising that his administration would instead “cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows.”
Misconduct involving artificial intelligence, he said, could be handled through existing criminal and civil justice systems rather than through broad new restrictions on the technology. He then introduced the initiative by comparing it to the military branch created during his first term. “For this purpose, I am forming the AI Force, much like I did Space Force, which has been a tremendous SUCCESS, in my First Term,” Trump said.
The comparison did not establish that the AI Force would become a military service, an independent agency, or a formal department on the model of the Space Force. The post supplied no budget, timetable, or detailed mission beyond encouraging development, protecting American leadership, and identifying harmful uses.
Trump said he would name an AI Czar “in the near future” and added that “Only High I.Q. individuals need apply.” No candidate was identified. The announcement also left unclear whether the czar would direct the AI Force, coordinate existing agencies, or serve mainly as a presidential adviser.
Trump described artificial intelligence as “the next Industrial Revolution” and compared its potential economic impact with the rise of the internet. “We are leading China, and the rest of the World, and I intend to keep it that way,” he wrote. Competition with China is already central to the administration’s technology policy, including efforts involving advanced computer chips, data centers, and AI-assisted scientific research.
He argued that local opposition to data-center construction had weakened after communities saw investment, higher salaries, and additional tax revenue. Critics of rapid expansion have raised different concerns: electricity demand, water use, consumer energy costs, and the effect of large projects on surrounding communities. The wider debate also covers employment disruption, intellectual-property protections, cybersecurity threats, and the possibility that increasingly capable systems could behave unpredictably.
Some Democratic officials have pushed for stronger federal or international rules. AI executives and researchers have offered competing ideas, from independent safety audits to limits on the most advanced systems. Trump rejected calls to broadly pause development, arguing that restrictions could hand America’s current advantage to China and other competitors.
The planned czar would follow venture capitalist David Sacks, whom Trump appointed White House AI and Crypto Czar in December 2024. Sacks served in that role as a special government employee until March 2026 and later continued as co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
The announcement signals continued support for accelerated American development. Its practical weight will depend on authorities and resources that have not been disclosed. Until the White House releases a formal order or organizational plan, the AI Force remains a presidential commitment rather than a fully defined federal entity.
