Although it remains uncertain whether personal financial stakes are directly influencing White House policy, a significant overlap exists between the administration’s actions and the economic gains of President Donald Trump’s inner circle. Over the past year, the president’s sons have accumulated substantial military contracts through various artificial intelligence-linked ventures, including a $620 million loan from the Pentagon, a robotics agreement with the Marine Corps, and an unspecified drone deal with the Air Force.
Meanwhile, Michael Dell, a longtime friend of the president, secured a nearly $9 billion Pentagon contract. These financial victories coincide with a sharp decline in public confidence regarding AI technology, reaching some of the lowest levels ever recorded. Despite this growing skepticism, the president has aggressively defended the sector.
On Monday, Trump took to Truth Social to tout the benefits of unchecked AI development. “The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades,” he wrote. He further alleged that a “SICK conspiracy” was targeting AI and data centers, marking the beginning of a series of pro-industry posts throughout the week.
Interesting that the President thinks ‘strong and smart’ is a sufficient regulatory framework for AI safety.
Is it just me, or does this sound exactly like what critics warned would happen without transparency?
A $9 billion defense deal for a friend feels less like policy and more like a family business transaction.
The sheer scale of these contracts while public trust plummets is unsettling, to say the least.