White House postpones signing of AI executive order
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on May 20, 2026, as he returns to Washington, DC, after delivering the commmencement address to the US Coast Guard Academy's 2026 graduating class. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty Images
The order is expected to establish a voluntary framework for the government to view AI models ahead of release.
The White House postponed a highly anticipated signing of an artificial intelligence executive order, according to four people with knowledge of the matter.
The order was expected to task national security and civilian agencies with various steps to shore up federal government network defenses using AI models and, notably, establish a voluntary framework for the government to view AI models ahead of release.
The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide the details. It’s not entirely clear why the signing was postponed, though some of the people said that multiple tech CEOs expected to attend the order’s Thursday afternoon signing ceremony could not make it.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This story is breaking and might be updated.