Trump Rules Out Bessent as AI Czar
Trump posted Friday on Truth Social that Bessent will not become what Trump calls 'Super Intelligence Czar.' Trump said Bessent does not want the job and is performing well at Treasury.
- Trump announced plans last weekend to create an 'AI Force' led by an AI czar.
- David Sacks held a combined AI and crypto czar role until he left in March 2026.
- Bessent proposed a U.S.-China AI safety notification mechanism during September 20 talks.
- White House Science and Technology Director Michael Kratsios and OPM Director Scott Kupor are reported contenders.
Why it matters: The AI czar will guide U.S. government policy on a fast-moving technology with contested regulatory stakes.
- Top AI researchers have warned the technology could pose lethal risks within a decade.
- Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for more government action on AI safety.
How 8 sources split on this story
Where they split: Coverage diverges on whether the Treasury Secretary was ever a serious candidate or simply a media-generated name.
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center frames the story around the broader policy vacuum — no named candidate, no details on the AI Force, and growing alarm among lawmakers about AI risks.
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right frames Bessent's removal from consideration as the correct call, praising his Treasury record and treating the czar search as a straightforward personnel question.
What’s next: The White House has not provided details on who will be nominated for the AI czar role.
- Kratsios and Kupor remain the only reported in-administration candidates; private-sector names are speculative.
- When will Trump name an AI czar, and what authority will the position actually carry?
- Will the AI Force have a statutory basis, or will it function informally like earlier czar roles?