US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to stop individual states from enforcing their own artificial-intelligence regulations, setting off an immediate political and industry-wide reaction.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said the country needs “one central source of approval” for AI oversight. The order gives the administration authority to challenge state rules it considers burdensome. According to White House AI adviser David Sacks, the federal government doesn’t plan to interfere with state measures focused on children’s safety, but it wants to rein in what it views as overreach elsewhere.

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The announcement was welcomed by large tech firms that have long pushed for a single national framework, arguing that a patchwork of state laws slows down development and weakens the US position against China. Companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta and Anthropic have been pouring money into AI research, though they declined immediate comment.

California pushed back within hours. The state has already passed its own AI safeguards, and Governor Gavin Newsom—one of Trump’s most outspoken critics—issued a blistering response. He accused the President of trying to shield tech allies from tougher scrutiny, calling the order “an ongoing grift” and claiming it undermines protections against unchecked AI systems.

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Earlier this year, Newsom signed a law requiring major AI developers to detail how they plan to limit risks tied to their models. Colorado and New York have enacted similar rules, arguing that state-level action is necessary because Congress has not delivered any broad AI legislation. The battle now shifts to how far the administration will go in challenging state laws—and whether Congress steps in to settle a fight that’s been brewing for years.