In fact, calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI for more regulation have been viewed skeptically by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades! The Trump Administration has stopped AI ‘people’ from doing bad, or potentially bad, ‘things,’ like Dario (Anthropic!), who is now pretending to be a ‘perfect little angel’ - and we will continue to do so!” Trump posted on social media on Monday.

Trump insists the only concern is not allowing China to race ahead.

“There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China. WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS! We are leading China, and all others, and will continue to do so,” Trump said.

While Anthropic has frequently tussled with the administration, including over how the Pentagon should use AI on the battlefield, OpenAI frames its relationship with the administration as pragmatic, Lehane said. Altman recently met with the president at the midterm convention in Dallas.

While it’s unlikely that legislation will pass before the midterms, Lehane said, he remains hopeful that bipartisan consensus on regulating AI could grease the wheels with the White House.

“I think if we get to a place where there’s real, you know, bipartisan support, I think that would certainly create momentum in terms of how people are looking at the need to do this,” he said.