# Trump Calls AI Extinction Fears a 'Hoax' — Critics Call Him Unqualified

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/trump-calls-ai-extinction-fears-a-hoax-critics-call-him-unqualified
- Published: 2026-09-18T07:03:18.465504+00:00
- Topics: artificial-intelligence, trump-administration, tech-regulation, media-criticism, climate-change

## What the left says
- AI industry leaders themselves, including Anthropic's Dario Amodei, are calling for regulation and warning of risks like loss of control over AI systems, cyberattacks, bioterrorism, and economic disruption, making it notable that Trump dismisses these warnings from insiders with the most technical knowledge.
- Trump's suggestion that dangerous AI could simply be unplugged 'like a toaster' reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how advanced AI systems and distributed infrastructure actually function.
- Trump's history of embracing scientifically dubious claims, including that wind turbines cause cancer and that couriers should replace digital communication for security, raises doubts about his ability to grasp complex technological risks.
- Critics point to Trump's rescinding of Biden's AI executive order on bioweapon safeguards and his family's business ties to the AI industry as evidence of a conflict of interest that could compromise his judgment on regulation.

## What the right says
- Trump argues that dire AI extinction predictions echo past overhyped doomsday narratives, particularly climate change, where inflated fears were used to justify sweeping regulation and halt projects the public otherwise supported.
- It is unusual and worth scrutinizing when industry leaders who stand to profit from AI simultaneously lobby for regulations that could cement their market position and burden smaller competitors or new entrants.
- Trump frames aggressive AI development as essential to maintaining American dominance over China, warning that self-imposed slowdowns driven by fear could hand the advantage to global rivals.
- Trump positions strong, decisive leadership rather than bureaucratic regulatory frameworks as the right approach to managing AI risks, expressing confidence in his own judgment to navigate the technology's growth.

## Common ground
- AI industry leaders, including executives at OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, have been holding discussions about establishing some form of regulatory framework for the technology.
- Both sides agree AI development is accelerating rapidly and drawing intense public and political attention as a major issue.
- There is shared recognition that data centers and AI infrastructure expansion have provoked public pushback, even if the reasons cited differ.
- Both sides agree the stakes of getting AI policy right, whatever that policy should be, are unusually high for the country's economic and security future.

## Sources
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jen-psaki-donald-trump-ai_n_6aaa30bee4b0477c43c04fac) (Left)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-ignorant-ai-humanity_n_6aa8719de4b0288deb0c4098) (Left)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lawrence-odonnell-donald-trump-ai-hoax_n_6aa920c9e4b03cde7fac820d) (Left)
- [HuffPost](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-regulate-ai-openai-anthropic_n_6aa853b7e4b0781f9693cc4d) (Left)
- [Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion](https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/09/trump-calls-ai-panic-the-next-climate-change-hoax/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trump-calls-ai-panic-the-next-climate-change-hoax) (Unknown)
- [RealClearPolitics](https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2026/09/15/math_skills_gap_between_us_china_students_is_growing_711038.html) (Center)

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