Trump says AI executive order targeting state laws coming this week

What he's saying: "There must be only One Rulebook if we are going to continue to lead in AI," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

• "We are beating ALL COUNTRIES at this point in the race, but that won't last long if we are going to have 50 States, many of them bad actors, involved in RULES and the APPROVAL PROCESS ... AI WILL BE DESTROYED IN ITS INFANCY!"
• "You can't expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something. THAT WILL NEVER WORK!"

What we're watching: The executive order isn't likely to try to block state AI laws outright. Instead, it's expected to attempt to gut state AI laws by launching legal challenges and conditioning federal grants on compliance.

• This approach has far less teeth than legislation — and will certainly face legal challenges.

Catch up quick: One version of the executive order that would have made internet grants and other federal funds conditional on limiting AI regulation was put on hold but is back in play, sources tell Axios' Ashley Gold and Maria Curi.

• On Capitol Hill, Republicans have had little success trying to block state laws through legislation, in part because some Republicans, like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), are sounding alarms about high AI risk for kids, jobs and safety.
• Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) have pushed language to preempt state action, most recently in the annual defense bill. Congress has rejected these efforts twice.