President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday giving federal agencies first look at the government's most powerful artificial intelligence systems before they hit the market, but stopped short of forcing companies to comply.
The directive instructs the Pentagon, Treasury Department and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to work with major AI firms like Anthropic, OpenAI and Google on a voluntary basis. Under the arrangement, the government would get up to 30 days to test and evaluate cutting-edge models for security risks before public release.
The order explicitly rejects mandatory licensing or pre-clearance requirements, positioning federal oversight as a request rather than a mandate. "Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies," the order states.
Trump had initially planned to sign the order in late May. The White House invited tech executives to a signing ceremony and held a briefing with senior officials that morning. But Trump abruptly pulled the plug, citing concerns that the measure could weaken American companies against Chinese competitors. "We're leading China, we're leading everybody, and I don't want to do anything that's going to get in the way of that lead," he told reporters at the time.
The revised order reflects that hesitation. Rather than imposing restrictions, it emphasizes partnership. The administration says it will "work closely with industry to ensure that the best and most secure technology is deployed rapidly to confront any and all threats to our country."
The urgency around AI governance intensified after Anthropic's Mythos Preview model demonstrated the ability to uncover critical vulnerabilities in widely-used operating systems, prompting alarm among senior officials including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Vice President JD Vance.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The voluntary approach is smart politics for Trump, but it raises questions about whether tech companies will actually follow through without teeth behind the request."
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