White House Releases AI Manifesto: A Data Center Arms Race, Free Speech Algorithms, and a Shot Across China’s Bow

In a dramatic power play to cement America’s dominance in the AI arms race, the Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled its sweeping “AI Action Plan”—a 90-point federal policy blitz aimed at deregulating innovation, building out infrastructure, and reshaping global AI diplomacy. If carried out, the plan would mark a seismic shift in how the U.S. government steers one of the most consequential technologies of the 21st century.

Unveiled ahead of Trump’s keynote at an AI summit in Washington, D.C.—co-hosted by the Hill and Valley Forum and the All-In Podcast—the plan is part policy platform, part campaign declaration. It also comes on the heels of a previous executive order dismantling several AI-related guardrails put in place by the Biden administration.

“The goal here is for the United States to win the AI race,” said David Sacks, Trump’s tech advisor and designated “AI and crypto czar,” during a press call.

Build, Deregulate, Export

At the heart of the AI Action Plan is an aggressive infrastructure play: accelerate the construction of massive data centers, semiconductor fabs, and electric grid enhancements to support an AI-fueled economy. This move aligns with the private sector's frenzied race to erect hyperscale AI clusters, from Amazon’s cloud expansions to Elon Musk’s xAI endeavors.

The plan also promises to streamline federal processes for chip manufacturing and grid upgrades—a nod to both the physics and politics of AI scaling. Energy, not just data, is the new oil.

But it’s not just about building faster and bigger. The Trump White House wants to cut red tape—particularly regulations viewed as ideologically driven or innovation-stifling. States deemed too restrictive on AI development could lose federal support under the new proposal, while agencies are being ordered to purge rules seen as bottlenecks.

“We believe that AI systems should be free of ideological bias and not be designed to pursue socially engineered agendas,” Sacks said, citing concerns about chatbot hallucinations and alleged political filtering in LLMs.

The administration also wants to tighten the terms under which federal agencies procure AI systems, requiring vendors to ensure their models support free speech and resist bias. It’s a move likely to force hard conversations across the public-private AI pipeline.

AI Without Borders—Except With China

While most of the plan is domestically focused, it also outlines a muscular export agenda. The White House plans to launch a program to ship AI infrastructure—hardware, models, applications, and standards—to allied nations. It’s a strategic counterweight to China’s rapid AI expansion and an overt signal that the U.S. intends to set the global terms of AI engagement.

“Export controls” also feature prominently in the fine print, with the administration doubling down on keeping bleeding-edge AI technology out of adversarial hands. As geopolitical competition over chips and algorithms heats up, the plan casts AI as both economic engine and national security imperative.

DEI Rollback and CHIPS Act Reversal

In a move that will likely stir legal and ethical debates, the plan targets diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) stipulations embedded in the CHIPS and Science Act—calling them burdensome and counterproductive. Trump officials argue these social requirements bog down mission-critical projects like fab construction and AI R&D.

Industry Weighs In: Cheers and Cautions

Industry reactions to the plan range from cautious optimism to alarm.

“AI has the power to drive incredible progress, but it’s also reshaping how fraudsters operate… When true identity can be faked with just a few prompts, the economic and societal impacts can be devastating,” warned Patrick Harding, Chief Product Architect at Ping Identity. “Trusting only what can be verified is the only way to stay one step ahead of fraud while continuing to responsibly unlock AI’s potential.”

Security and transparency advocates are also eyeing the plan’s implications for model oversight and risk mitigation.

“Securing AI systems and ensuring that they perform as intended is essential for establishing trust,” said Ilona Cohen, Chief Legal and Policy Officer at HackerOne. She highlighted the importance of red teaming, bug bounties, and protections for ethical researchers, praising the plan’s inclusion of model testing and infrastructure risk reviews.

Yet Cohen also raised red flags about the vagueness of anti-bias requirements.

“This new requirement could create new challenges for AI companies working with the federal government,” she noted, especially if enforcement conflicts with existing legal or ethical commitments.

A Campaign Blueprint in Disguise?

While labeled a policy roadmap, the AI Action Plan also reads like a campaign document—doubling as a declaration of tech-war priorities and a cultural reframe of AI’s future. As Trump seeks a return to the Oval Office, AI is becoming both a wedge issue and a legacy project.

With major tech figures, venture capitalists, and AI startups aligned on the opportunity—and deeply divided on the risks—the next six to twelve months could determine whether America’s AI infrastructure boom is a renaissance… or a regulatory reckoning.