White House AI Chief Rejects Calls for Enhanced Safeguards

WHO:

TechRadar - David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, stated in an exclusive interview, "The idea that AI could destroy humanity is not acceptable."

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the administration forced Anthropic to withdraw a model because it did not believe it passed safety standards.

CNN - Executives of major technology and artificial intelligence companies are expected to travel to Washington, DC, for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit to the White House.

CNN - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are among those expected to attend Trump’s state dinner for Xi.

TechRadar - David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, stated in an exclusive interview, "The idea that AI could destroy humanity is not acceptable."

TechRadar - David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, stated in an interview that the idea of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable."

CBS News Tech - Sen. Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon called for tighter AI regulation at a "pro-human" AI summit in Washington, D.C.

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Trump administration has been working on artificial intelligence safeguards "nonstop" since April.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent mentioned that the administration forced Anthropic to withdraw a model due to safety concerns.

TechRadar - President Trump, Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI), Dario Amodei (CEO of Anthropic), Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla and SpaceX).

CBS News Tech - David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

WHAT:

Yahoo Finance - Bessent noted that AI executives are simultaneously lobbying for liability waivers, which he strongly opposes, stating, "The best way to guarantee safety is that the creators are liable for what they build and generate."

CBS News Tech - During a hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch questioned whether Trump fully grasps the risks associated with AI, stating, "Sometimes when I hear the president talk about AI, I do not believe he has a grasp of what we're dealing with AI."

CNN - Trump officials are contemplating a meeting with AI executives on the sidelines of Xi's visit to discuss the future of AI and associated risks.

CNN - Trump stated, "AI taking over the World, destroying Humanity, and all other things bad, is a HOAX," in a post on social media.

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that the Trump administration has been working on AI safety "nonstop" since the release of Mythos, an advanced AI model developed by Anthropic that can find deep software flaws.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent stated, "We've been working on safety nonstop since the release of Mythos," during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee.

CBS News Tech - President Trump made a post on Truth Social stating, "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!"

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Trump administration has been working on artificial intelligence safeguards "nonstop" since April, emphasizing the need for creators to be liable for their AI outputs.

CBS News Tech - David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, stated that the idea of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable."

TechRadar - President Trump made a post on Truth Social stating, "I am the Hoax Buster, and I’m right now breaking another Hoax — That AI is going to take over, consume, and destroy the World, and that Robots will be marching into our Cities, and getting rid of us all!"

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Trump administration has been working on artificial intelligence safeguards "nonstop" since April, amid calls from AI executives to slow the pace of technology development.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent emphasized that the administration forced Anthropic to withdraw a model called Mythos due to safety concerns, as it did not meet safety standards.

TechRadar - President Trump made a post on Truth Social stating, "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!"

TechRadar - President Trump made a post on Truth Social stating, "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!"

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the administration has been working on safety nonstop since the release of Mythos, emphasizing the need for creators to be liable for their AI outputs.

Yahoo Finance - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the administration forced Anthropic to withdraw a model called Mythos due to safety concerns, as it did not meet safety standards.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent emphasized that the administration has been working on AI safety "nonstop" since the release of Mythos.

TechRadar - During a hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch questioned whether Trump fully grasps the risks associated with AI, stating, "Sometimes when I hear the president talk about AI, I do not believe he has a grasp of what we're dealing with AI."

CBS News Tech - Trump made a surprise phone call to Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, during the All-In Summit in Los Angeles, where their policy alignment on AI was broadcasted live.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent opposed the idea of granting liability waivers to AI labs, stating, "The best way to guarantee safety is that the creators are liable for what they build and generate."

Yahoo Finance - President Trump wrote on Truth Social that the government already has "tremendous criminal and regulatory power over these companies!"

TechRadar - President Trump is involved in a regulatory battle concerning artificial intelligence (AI).

CBS News Tech - David Sacks stated that the idea of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable" and addressed President Trump's stance on the matter.

WHY:

CNN - President Trump has elevated the AI issue to the forefront of American politics, viewing it as pivotal to his economic legacy and a key battleground in a global struggle for power.

CNN - President Trump views the AI fight as pivotal to his economic legacy and a key battleground in a global struggle for power.

CBS News Tech - The pushback from the White House against calls for enhanced AI safeguards is based on President Trump's belief that the concerns about AI leading to human extinction are exaggerated.

HOW:

CBS News Tech - Bessent defended Trump's understanding of AI, stating he is "completely aligned with Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia."

CNN - The administration is in regular contact with AI frontier labs and will continue engaging with the tech industry to cement America’s AI dominance while keeping Americans safe.

Yahoo Finance - Bessent urged lawmakers to reject proposals for liability waivers for AI labs, stating, "The best way to guarantee safety is that the creators are liable for what they build and generate and put out into the economy and to the American people."

Yahoo Finance - Bessent defended Trump's understanding of AI, stating he is "completely aligned with Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia."

CBS News Tech - David Sacks conducted an exclusive interview to discuss the White House's position on AI regulation and the rejection of heightened safeguards.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 22:00 UTC)

David Sacks, co-chair of Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, expressed in an exclusive interview that the notion of AI potentially destroying humanity is unacceptable. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted that the administration compelled Anthropic to withdraw a model due to safety concerns, while also opposing AI executives' push for liability waivers, insisting that creators must be held accountable for their products. In a recent hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch questioned Trump’s understanding of AI risks, but Bessent defended the president, stating he is fully aligned with Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 21:00 UTC)

Executives from major technology and artificial intelligence companies are set to travel to Washington, DC, for a state visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, with notable attendees including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at Trump’s state dinner. On the sidelines of this visit, Trump officials are considering a meeting with these AI executives to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and its associated risks, while Trump has publicly dismissed concerns about AI as a "HOAX." The administration is maintaining regular communication with AI frontier labs and plans to continue engaging with the tech industry to ensure America’s leadership in AI while prioritizing the safety of its citizens.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 19:00 UTC)

David Sacks, co-chair of Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, recently stated that the notion of AI potentially destroying humanity is simply unacceptable. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted that the Trump administration has been tirelessly focused on AI safety since the introduction of Mythos, an advanced AI model capable of identifying deep software flaws, during a hearing before the House Financial Services Committee. He also urged lawmakers to reject any proposals for liability waivers for AI labs, emphasizing that holding creators accountable is crucial for ensuring safety in the technology they develop.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 17:59 UTC)

David Sacks, co-chair of President Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, recently declared that the notion of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted that the Trump administration has been tirelessly focused on AI safety since the introduction of Mythos, an advanced AI model from Anthropic designed to identify deep software flaws. Bessent also urged lawmakers to reject liability waivers for AI labs, asserting that holding creators accountable is the best way to ensure safety in AI development.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 15:59 UTC)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump administration has been tirelessly working on artificial intelligence safeguards since April, highlighting the importance of holding creators accountable for their AI outputs. Meanwhile, David Sacks, co-chair of Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, expressed that the notion of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable." In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared himself the "Hoax Buster," dismissing fears that AI will take over and threaten human existence.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 14:58 UTC)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump administration has been tirelessly working on artificial intelligence safeguards since April, responding to calls from AI executives to slow down technology development. He also revealed that the administration compelled Anthropic to withdraw its model called Mythos due to safety concerns, as it did not meet established safety standards. In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized the administration's commitment to preventing AI from engaging in harmful activities, specifically mentioning Anthropic and asserting that they will continue to take action in this area.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 13:58 UTC)

At a "pro-human" AI summit in Washington, D.C., Senator Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon called for tighter regulations on artificial intelligence. President Trump took to Truth Social, asserting that the only control AI needs is a strong and smart president, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized the administration's ongoing efforts to ensure safety and urged lawmakers to reject liability waivers for AI labs. Bessent highlighted that holding creators accountable for their AI outputs is crucial for guaranteeing safety in this pivotal area of economic legacy and global power.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 13:04 UTC)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the administration compelled Anthropic to withdraw its AI model called Mythos due to safety concerns, as it failed to meet established safety standards. Bessent also highlighted that the administration has been diligently focused on AI safety since the release of Mythos. Meanwhile, during a hearing, Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch questioned whether Trump fully understands the risks associated with AI, expressing doubts about his grasp of the complexities involved, while Trump made a surprise phone call to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during the All-In Summit in Los Angeles, where their shared policy views on AI were broadcasted live.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 10:58 UTC)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump administration has been diligently working on artificial intelligence safeguards since April, even forcing Anthropic to withdraw a model due to safety concerns. Bessent also expressed opposition to granting liability waivers to AI labs, emphasizing that creators should be held accountable for their products. In support of this stance, President Trump highlighted on Truth Social that the government possesses significant regulatory power over these companies, while Bessent affirmed Trump's understanding of AI aligns with that of Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 02:25 UTC)

President Trump is currently engaged in a regulatory battle over artificial intelligence, with significant input from industry leaders like Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Elon Musk. In an exclusive interview, David Sacks, co-chair of Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, emphasized that the notion of AI potentially destroying humanity is "not acceptable" and outlined the administration's stance on the issue. The White House is pushing back against calls for stricter AI safeguards, believing that fears of AI leading to human extinction are exaggerated.