Exclusive: Trump Plans Executive Orders to Power AI Growth in Race With China

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Key Takeaways

• Trump administration launches executive orders to enhance U.S. AI leadership.
• Focus on increasing energy supply and reducing regulatory barriers to accelerate AI development.
• A strategic AI Action Plan is in the works, set to be unveiled soon.
• Emphasis on strengthening national security and economic growth through AI.

Core Elements of the Planned Executive Orders

The executive orders are pivotal to Trump’s vision of AI dominance. They will have far-reaching implications for the AI industry and will likely reshape the landscape of global technology innovation. Let’s delve into the heart of these orders and see how they promise to reshape AI development in the U.S.

Boosting Electricity Supply

One of the cornerstones of Trump’s executive actions addresses the immense power needs required for extensive AI development. The administration is set to ease the connection process for new power-generating projects to the grid, ensuring a seamless increase in electricity availability (source). Furthermore, federal lands will be opened up for the construction of new data centers, which are vital for AI expansion (source). This approach is essential to support the underlying infrastructure that AI demands, given the sector’s exponential growth trajectory.

Reducing Regulatory Barriers

Another significant aspect of the executive orders is the reduction of regulatory barriers, which have been seen as impediments to AI innovation. The Trump administration aims to cut through red tape by eliminating policies that slow progress, marking a shift from the previous administration’s focus on oversight and risk mitigation (source) (source). This deregulation aims to foster an environment conducive to rapid advancement and deployment of AI technologies.

National Security and Economic Framing

The executive orders explicitly frame AI as crucial to national competitiveness and economic strength (source). By positioning AI development as a strategic priority, the U.S. aims to maintain its global leadership across multiple fronts. This policy underscores a commitment to leveraging AI as both an economic catalyst and a linchpin for national security (source) (source) (source).

AI Action Plan

To further streamline AI expansion, the administration has ordered the preparation of a comprehensive AI Action Plan, set to be unveiled on July 23, 2025. Developed with input from the National Security Council, this plan is expected to consolidate efforts towards AI growth and innovation (source). July 23 may be recognized as “AI Action Day” to mark these efforts symbolically and substantively (source).

Public Events and Industry Partnership

Significant public events are scheduled to underline the United States’ commitment to AI and energy collaboration. Notably, Trump is set to headline a major AI and energy event in Pennsylvania on July 15. This event highlights the administration’s efforts to work with states and attract substantial private investments, such as Amazon’s $20 billion commitment to new data centers in Pennsylvania (source).

Differences From the Previous Biden Administration Policy

The Trump administration’s approach marks a divergence from the previous policies under President Biden. Where Biden emphasized responsible and equitable AI development with robust oversight, Trump is focused on rapid innovation, economic expansion, and deregulation (source). Executive orders like “Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” embody this shift, removing what the administration sees as “engineered social agendas” and “ideological bias” from AI systems (source) (source).

Additional Related Executive Orders

An important complement to these initiatives is the AI Education Order, signed in April 2025. This order aims to foster AI literacy by encouraging public-private partnerships and expanding AI education through agencies such as the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation (source).

Industry and Infrastructure Implications

Rising Electricity Demand

As AI continues to evolve and expand, it is expected to significantly increase U.S. power demand. Between 2024 and 2029, electricity usage related to AI development is projected to rise fivefold compared to previous estimates (source). This surge underscores the importance of streamlining energy connections and modernizing the power grid to support extensive AI infrastructure (source).

Federal Land and Grid Modernization

Federal land access and grid modernization are pivotal elements of the executive orders, addressing critical bottlenecks currently hindering AI industry growth. By making federal lands available for data centers and improving grid connectivity, the Trump administration seeks to unlock opportunities for immediate and long-term growth in AI capabilities (source).

Strategic Context

The narrative surrounding these executive actions is deeply entrenched in the technological rivalry with China. The framing of AI policy as a “technological arms race” underscores the geopolitical stakes and emphasizes the economic and military implications of AI leadership (source).

In Summary

President Trump’s decisive actions aim to accelerate U.S. AI growth by cutting red tape, enhancing energy and infrastructure access, focusing on national competitiveness, and broadening AI education. By doing so, the administration hopes to place the United States at the forefront of AI development and surpass China in this critical area (source) (source) (source) (source). This strategic pivot sets a precedent for global AI policy and highlights the increasing integration of AI into national security and economic frameworks. As the U.S. charges forward in this tech race, the world watches with bated breath.