Trump announces plan for an 'AI Force' and a new AI czar role

President Donald Trump said he wants to create an “AI Force” and appoint an “AI czar” to lead it, according to a post on his social media platform Truth Social. The announcement came as calls to slow the pace of artificial intelligence development grow louder, from lawmakers across the political spectrum and from people inside the AI industry itself.

Trump wrote that his administration “will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry,” adding that the government would “cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows.” He did not explain what the AI Force would do, how it would be structured, or how it would be funded.

He compared the proposal to the Space Force, the military branch he created during his first term, calling it a “tremendous SUCCESS.” He did not say whether the new AI Force would be part of the military, a civilian agency, or something else entirely.

Data centers as neighbors

In the same post, Trump claimed without evidence that data centers, the large facilities that house the computing hardware behind AI systems, are good for the communities that host them. He described them as “wealthy and prestigious” and said, without citing any figures, that they raise local salaries, lower taxes, and make streets safer. Data centers have drawn opposition in a number of U.S. communities over their electricity and water use, and Trump’s post did not address those complaints.

Trump also set a bar for the AI czar job, writing “Only High I.Q. individuals need apply!” He did not name a candidate, give a timeline for the appointment, or say what powers the role would carry.

The post landed against a backdrop of mounting unease about AI’s pace, including warnings from some researchers and executives who have urged more caution. Trump’s message struck a different note, framing his administration as a protector of the industry’s growth rather than a regulator of it. What happens next depends on details Trump has not yet supplied: there is no confirmed nominee for AI czar, no legislative text establishing an AI Force, and no indication of when either might arrive. Whether the idea moves beyond a social media post, and whether it comes paired with any oversight of data center construction or AI safety, is what will determine if this becomes policy or stays a proposal.