Trump proposes 'AI Force' and tsar amid lawsuit against Big Tech for AI slowdown

Former President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, September 19, 2026, his intention to establish an "AI Force" and appoint an "AI Czar" to oversee the rapidly developing artificial intelligence sector. Trump, who likened the proposed "AI Force" to the Space Force created during his initial term, stated that his administration would support the growth of the AI industry, which he predicted could contribute significantly to the U.S. GDP. He dismissed concerns regarding AI's potential dangers as a "hoax" and asserted that existing criminal and civil justice systems were sufficient to address any misconduct.

Meanwhile, a new lawsuit was filed on Friday, September 19, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that major tech companies — Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI, and Google — illegally colluded to slow down AI development. The lawsuit claims these companies violated antitrust laws, pointing to public agreements among their leaders to decelerate advancements for safety, initiated by an essay from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on September 12, 2026. This alleged coordination, according to the plaintiffs, would diminish the value consumers receive from their paid AI subscriptions.

Concurrently, Democratic senators have called for an investigation into an AI-assisted defense report that allegedly contained "entirely false" intelligence, nearly leading to a confrontation with a Chinese vessel in the Middle East. Senators Mark Warner, Jack Reed, and Chris Coons dispatched a letter on September 19, 2026, to the Defense Secretary and the Director of National Intelligence, expressing concerns over agencies prioritizing the rapid adoption of AI capabilities over effective governance.