Trump's AI Executive Order Sparks Political Divide Ahead of Midterms
In December, the Trump administration signed an executive order that significantly weakened states' abilities to regulate artificial intelligence. The order mandated federal lawsuits and funding cuts against states attempting to impose AI regulations, a move that directly supports industry lobbyists seeking to avoid constraints on AI deployment. This action undermines years of advocacy by consumers, industry associations, and advocates concerned about AI's potential harms, highlighting a clear prioritisation of economic elites over populist consumer protections.
Voter Sentiment and Political Alignments
Surveys reveal strong public support for AI regulation. A May 2025 poll of likely voters showed over 70% favour both state and federal involvement in AI policy, while a December 2025 Navigator Research survey found a net +48% favouring more regulation. Despite this overwhelming voter preference and near-unanimous congressional opposition to a previous state AI moratorium, Trump's order challenges the will of voters across blue and red states, from California to South Dakota. This has scrambled traditional political positions, establishing AI as a new ideological battleground for the upcoming midterm elections.
Framing the Debate: Populism vs. Institutionalism
Initially, AI debates centred on humans versus machines, focusing on job losses in fields like writing, teaching, and coding. However, this humanist perspective has limited political traction. A more relevant frame for US politics is populism versus institutionalism, where the Maga movement aligns the Republican party with populism and the Democratic party with traditional institutions. Trump's AI order shatters this frame by serving economic elites at the expense of populist protections, part of a broader courtship between Maga and big tech that sacrifices consumer interests for tech mogul alliances.
Local Resistance and National Implications
Populist resistance is emerging locally, with communities in Maryland, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, and other states opposing AI datacenters due to environmental and energy affordability concerns. This opposition is politically diverse, involving both progressives and Trump supporters, and could evolve into a national movement that divides the Maga coalition. Polling indicates low public awareness of datacenter issues, with less than a 10-percentage-point difference between Harris and Trump voters on support for local development. Yet, with big tech AI spending projected to reach nearly $700 billion in 2026, the rapid expansion and intense local responses create fertile ground for voter activation across party lines.
Political Leadership and Policy Gaps
Few political leaders have taken strong stances on AI. Within the Republican party, Florida governor Ron DeSantis is positioning himself as an AI skeptic against the administration. On the Democratic side, Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib proposed a moratorium on AI datacenter construction, while Senator Amy Klobuchar opposes Trump's order. Local legislators in Georgia have enacted such moratoriums. However, the issue extends beyond datacenters to include job losses, economic risks from concentrated AI investment, democratic threats from monopolistic tech companies, and degradation of journalism and education.
Broader Harms and National Security Claims
The Trump administration often justifies its pro-corporate AI stance as a national security priority against China, but this argument lacks substance. Policy discussions must address individual harms like job displacement and systemic risks, including economic concentration and democratic erosion. For a free market to serve the public interest, companies profiting from AI must internalise these costs. The political salience of AI is growing with its financial and societal impact, offering candidates an opportunity to oppose AI-linked harms in the midterms.
Mobilising for Political Solutions
Political solutions require organising and broadening engagement beyond local datacenter concerns. Movement leaders and officials in states with AI regulations should mobilise against the industry capture and corporate favouritism evident in Trump's order. AI has transitioned from a policy issue to a political one, demanding voter accountability and decisive action in the electoral arena.
