Since taking office for his second term as President of the United States, Donald Trump has pushed for an aggressive expansion of artificial intelligence within the federal government. What began as executive orders to remove regulatory barriers and accelerate innovation has rippled through administrative policy, hiring, and government modernization efforts

The administration’s approach frames AI as a core national priority instead of viewing it as another technological tool. Per members of the Trump administration, AI is essential for economic competitiveness, national security, and public service delivery. President Trump’s policies have already reshaped how agencies use and manage AI tools, and policy directives in 2025 and 2026 are pushing agencies to adopt AI in ways that would have been rare just a few years ago.

The use of AI in the private and personal lives of American citizens is already a source of debate, and its implementation in the federal government is sure to spark more of the same.

Executive Orders That Changed the Game

President Trump has built his approach around a series of executive orders aimed at fostering an AI ecosystem within the federal government without bureaucratic constraints. In January 2025, President Trump issued one of his first executive orders about the topic. That order focused on removing perceived barriers to U.S. leadership in AI, revoking certain prior policies, and setting a national tone for rapid adoption.

Later that year, President Trump signed an order titled “Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government,” which required federal AI tools to adhere to principles like truthfulness and ideological neutrality. Agencies were instructed to procure large language models (LLMs) that prioritize accurate and objective outputs, and to ensure that federal contracts for AI include terms holding vendors responsible for compliance.

In December 2025, President Trump signed his third executive order that focused on AI in the federal government. His third executive order on the topic established a national policy framework for AI, seeking to standardize federal AI use and preempt a patchwork of state regulations that the administration argued could inhibit innovation. This order mandated the formation of an AI litigation task force and measures to align state and federal standards.

A Rapid Expansion of Government AI Use

The shifts in policy have translated to an AI surge in government. According to required disclosures submitted to the Office of Management and Budget, the number of reported AI uses nearly doubled from 1,684 to nearly 3,000 by the end of 2025. These range from administrative tools that automate repetitive tasks to those considered “high impact,” meaning they affect decisions about people’s rights or safety.

Agencies have searched for opportunities to implement AI into a wide series of functions, including data analysis, operational automation, health care research, and defense support systems. These attempts emphasized scaling quickly and reducing bureaucratic friction.

The White House has consistently framed these efforts as ways to “vastly improve government efficiency,” though external experts caution that rapid deployment can outpace the development of safeguards and oversight.

Building Talent and Capacity

To support this AI surge in government, the federal government has been restructuring its workforce and recruitment methods. One of the most visible outcomes is the launch of the US Tech Force, a program aimed at recruiting around 1,000 early-career technologists, data scientists, and AI specialists into two-year federal roles. These recruits are being tasked with modernizing government systems, tackling AI projects, and bridging the gap between existing systems and AI programs.

This recruitment drive reflects both a desire to bring fresh technical skills into the government and a recognition that existing federal hiring practices have struggled to keep pace with technological change. Existing agencies see programs like the Tech Force as an opportunity to innovate legacy systems that have been in place for decades while building a foundation for sustained AI integration.

Support, Skepticism, and Oversight Concerns

These initiatives have gained praise from proponents who believe that they’re important tools in the US’s mission to remain a global technological leader. However, they have also raised questions about oversight, transparency, and risk management.

Experts warn that rapidly integrating powerful AI systems without sufficient safeguards could lead to erroneous decision-making, privacy violations, or unfair treatment if the systems are not carefully governed. Some critics argue that earlier policies under previous administrations placed greater emphasis on risk mitigation and responsible deployment.

There are also concerns about the division of power between states and the federal government. While the federal government appears ready to override state-level AI integration, some state leaders have vocally opposed these efforts.

Transformation, Tension, and Transition

While campaigning ahead of his second term in office, President Trump vowed to address government waste and inefficiency. The executive orders that focus on implementing AI in federal agencies are certainly part of that plan. The Trump administration’s approach places a premium on innovation, speed, and global leadership in AI, while also stirring debate over how best to balance rapid growth with safety, equity, and democratic oversight.