Defense

As AI models break free, White House works with firms on secret safety measures

Lawmakers blast administration's "ad-hoc" AI strategy; tech giants pitch ideas to keep federal contracts flowing.

People

Watchdog puts new numbers on the size of DOGE, but many details remain unknown as agencies refuse to turn over information

In a new report, the Government Accountability Office said it was unable to verify if all Department of Government Efficiency employees completed mandatory activities intended to avoid conflicts of interest.

Artificial Intelligence

White House’s new high-risk life sciences policy calls for monitoring AI dangers

“The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will convene an interagency group to monitor advancements at the intersection of biological sciences and artificial intelligence, including in silico life sciences research,” the guidance says.

Artificial Intelligence

White House accuses Chinese AI developer of IP theft

Tech policy leadership in the White House say Moonshot AI illegally trained its model off of Anthropic’s Fable.

Cybersecurity

Secret Service is examining apparent Iranian video outlining Trump motorcade routes, assassination opportunities

The agency said it is looking into the Persian-language video, which uses polished, apparently AI-generated graphics to depict supposed motorcade routes in Florida and New York.

Cybersecurity

Trump stretches declassified China intelligence into broader 2020 election claims

The records provide new details about Chinese intelligence collection on voters and internal analytic debates, but do not undercut longstanding findings on the 2020 election.

Cybersecurity

White House announces ‘Gold Eagle’ AI clearinghouse for cyber vulnerabilities

The initiative stems from a June 2 executive order that urged advanced AI developers to grant the government early access to their capabilities to address potential vulnerabilities.

Policy

Trump empties out election commission leadership just months before midterms

The shake-up raises questions about voting system certification, federal election security coordination, and the commission’s ability to approve key policy decisions.

Exclusive Emerging Tech

White House to host quantum tech summit with industry Tuesday

The closed-door event will focus on supply chain, workforce development and private sector insights into the emerging technology.

Policy

Trump says Pulte can declassify ‘whatever’ he wants, sparking fears of exposing intelligence secrets

“If he doesn’t care about blowing up cyber exploits, putting foreign relationships at risk, or getting people killed, he could declassify a lot,” one former official said.

Emerging Tech

Trump signs 2 orders to prepare the US for a quantum future

The long-awaited executive actions aim to protect current infrastructure from a fault-tolerant quantum computer while accelerating U.S. scientific research with quantum technology capabilities.

Exclusive Emerging Tech

White House expected to direct intelligence agencies to protect quantum research from foreign threats

The executive order is expected this week and tasks the departments of Defense and Energy to build and host a quantum computer for scientific discovery.

People

Intelligence director hearing cancelled as Trump pushes for controversial voter bill

The development guarantees that Bill Pulte — whose selection to temporarily lead the office derailed a recent FISA vote — would start as acting national intelligence director on Friday.

Artificial Intelligence

Industry and academia call on administration to free Anthropic’s AI model

Over 30 industry and academic professionals signed a letter to the Trump administration asking it to lift export controls, citing international competition and patches to network vulnerabilities.

People

CISA sees leadership shakeup after infrastructure security chief moves to ONCD

The personnel moves come as CISA prepares to hire hundreds of new employees following a year of layoffs, buyouts and internal restructuring.

Policy

House vote puts Section 702 on brink of historic lapse amid fight over acting spy chief

Trump’s plan to nominate Jay Clayton as permanent top spy may ease Democrats’ concerns, but lawmakers remain at odds over whether Bill Pulte will lead the intelligence community during the transition.

Exclusive Artificial Intelligence

Lack of White House guidance has complicated agency Mythos adoption, people familiar say

Agency tech leaders say they don’t have clear direction from the White House on how to access and implement Anthropic’s cyber-focused AI model for their networks.

Artificial Intelligence

Warren seeks admin leadership to testify on AI policy

The Senate Banking Committee’s ranking member criticized the lack of administration officials asked to testify at an upcoming hearing on AI and the American Dream.

Artificial Intelligence

Trump memo pushes national security agencies to move faster on AI

The directive calls for deeper partnerships with AI companies while directing agencies to guard frontier models and the data centers that power them from foreign adversaries.

People

Trump signs order moving thousands of federal employees into Schedule F

Roughly 8,000 career federal employees were stripped of their civil service protections Wednesday, making them effectively at-will employees.