ABSTRACT

President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday that he is creating a 'Super Intelligence Force' to coordinate the federal government's work on artificial intelligence, to be led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton. Trump wrote that the group is tasked with ensuring 'that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence' — his preferred term for AI — and that it will coordinate the federal government's engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and 'super intelligence companies.' The announcement followed a White House meeting with AI executives at which, according to Trump, company leaders signed a voluntary accord that includes internal and external reviews of their work. Several outlets describe Clayton as the administration's new AI czar; the status of that designation is reported differently, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP, according to Arab News.

NPR News

Trump announces 'Super Intelligence Force' to coordinate federal AI work, led by intelligence chief Jay Clayton

Oct 4, 2026, 2:36 PM

Context

NPR, Fortune and The Hill report that the force's other named members are Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor and Emil Michael, described by NPR and The Hill as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and by Fortune as the Pentagon's chief technology officer. The Washington Post reports that leaders from the intelligence community, the Pentagon, the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of Personnel Management will serve on the task force. Fortune and The Jerusalem Post, citing Trump's post, say the group will report to Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles. Arab News, citing the Wall Street Journal, reports that members also include Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and that the force will have 120 days to report on the risks and opportunities of the technology.

According to Arab News, citing the Journal, the task force's charter states that it will 'develop plans for responding to SI-enabled threats to our society, while preventing overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition' and will 'recommend ways to improve the government's response capacity under existing authorities.' Arab News also reports Clayton has no background in the tech industry, that he represented Goldman Sachs during the 2008 financial crisis and Barclays in its purchase of Lehman Brothers' assets, that Trump tapped him to lead federal prosecutors in Manhattan at the start of his second term and that the Senate confirmed him as intelligence chief in July. NPR reports Clayton previously served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Clayton has publicly described super intelligence as a 'national security issue' in a CNBC interview last month and pushed back on calls for a 'pause' in developing the technology, noting other countries are continuing to develop AI, according to NPR. The Guardian reports that during his Senate confirmation hearing Clayton said AI was a 'gamechanger' but also posed 'a threat,' telling lawmakers: 'When something's both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it.' Arab News quotes Clayton as saying the president asked for a group 'that was going to ensure exactly what he said... (that) we stay the leaders in superintelligence, and that the interests of the American people are put first,' adding: 'The risk of not being first is high.'

The AI czar position was previously held by venture capitalist David Sacks, whom Trump announced in December 2024 he would appoint as an AI and crypto czar, according to NPR. The Guardian reports Trump created the AI and cryptocurrency czar position when he returned to the White House in January 2025 and that Sacks served until March 2026, when he reached his employment limit as a 'special government employee'; NPR says Sacks stepped down earlier this year and became co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. The Guardian also reports Trump previously floated Clayton's name as a potential AI czar, telling Axios in September that Clayton was 'a good man' and the prospect was 'a good idea.' The Hill reports Trump has ruled out Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the AI czar role, and that it is unclear whether Sunday's announcement doubles as officially naming Clayton to the position.

The task force announcement followed a Tuesday meeting between Trump and AI executives. NPR reports Trump said leaders of several AI companies signed a voluntary accord including internal and external reviews of their work; The Guardian reports Trump and six executives signed an AI accord promising internal and external monitors to ensure the technology is used as intended and safety issues are addressed. The Jerusalem Post reports the agreement asks companies to partner with an external auditor or evaluator for independent assessments of model safety, and quotes the White House accord: 'Over time, it may make sense to codify these steps into laws or regulations... each of our companies is committed to doing this.' Trump described the agreement as 'almost like a constitution in a way,' adding, 'And the biggest people in the world signed that, and I signed it as president.' The Hill reports Trump has sought to rebrand AI as 'super intelligence,' that the term was put in writing across the executive branch in a pledge with tech executives, and that the State Department has ordered diplomats to use it. NPR reports that Congress has not passed federal law broadly regulating the use or development of AI, while some states, including California, have enacted measures.

Among those reacting on Sunday was SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who said on his social media platform X that SI was 'better' than AI and that he was renaming his aerospace company's AI unit from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, according to The Guardian. NPR reports Sacks has backed AI leaders Sam Altman and Dario Amodei's warnings about the technology and the idea of a 'slow down' in AI development, and that Sacks wrote on social media last month that tech leaders should 'stop pretending you need anyone else's permission' to make such moves.

All Perspectives

President Donald Trump: In his Truth Social post, Trump said the Super Intelligence Force is 'tasked with coordinating the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence, which many say is bigger than the Industrial Revolution, and the Internet, and will protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans,' and that it will coordinate engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure providers and super intelligence companies. He described the AI accord signed with executives as 'almost like a constitution in a way,' adding that 'the biggest people in the world signed that, and I signed it as president. And it really is a form of protection,' according to The Jerusalem Post. The Jerusalem Post also quotes him saying of data centers that companies are 'going to do things for the community that will be really financially beneficial' and that 'these big, powerful, very rich, very smart companies are going to be making massive contributions to communities.'

Jay Clayton, Director of National Intelligence: According to Arab News, citing the Wall Street Journal, Clayton said: 'The president asked that a group be put together that was going to ensure exactly what he said... (that) we stay the leaders in superintelligence, and that the interests of the American people are put first.' He added: 'The risk of not being first is high. Not being first increases the identified, and unidentified, risks, particularly from our adversaries. Being first will better enable us to address those risks on behalf of the American people.' NPR reports that in a CNBC interview last month Clayton called super intelligence a 'national security issue' and pushed back on calls for a pause, saying 'I don't think any American should think that that's a good strategy.' The Guardian reports he told senators at his confirmation hearing that when something is both an opportunity and a threat, 'you better get your arms around it.'

Elon Musk, SpaceX chief: According to The Guardian, Musk said on X that SI was 'better' than AI and that he was renaming his aerospace company's AI unit from SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI.

David Sacks, former AI and crypto czar: NPR reports Sacks has backed AI leaders Sam Altman and Dario Amodei's warnings about the technology and the idea of a 'slow down' in AI development, and that last month he wrote on social media that the tech leaders should 'stop pretending you need anyone else's permission' to make such moves. The Guardian reports he still co-chairs the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

AI companies that signed the White House accord: The Jerusalem Post quotes the accord: 'Over time, it may make sense to codify these steps into laws or regulations. Regardless of whether this is required of companies, we believe that implementing these controls and audits is critical to ensuring a safe future for everyone, and each of our companies is committed to doing this,' and that 'the participating companies will meet regularly to establish standards and best practices to improve the safety of their systems.'

Position not represented in the source reporting: The other named members of the Super Intelligence Force — Andrew Ferguson, Scott Kupor, Emil Michael, and, per Arab News, JD Vance, Pete Hegseth and Scott Bessent — none of whom are quoted or given a chance to respond in any supplied source.

Where sources differ

Whether Clayton's appointment as AI czar is official: Arab News reports he is 'widely reported to be the new AI czar... though the appointment is yet to be confirmed,' while NPR, Fortune, The Guardian and The Jerusalem Post describe him as named or tapped to the role; The Hill states it is unclear whether the announcement doubles as Trump officially naming Clayton to the czar position the president created.
Task force membership: NPR, Fortune and The Hill name four officials (Clayton, Ferguson, Kupor and Michael), and The Washington Post refers to leaders from the intelligence community, the Pentagon, the FTC and the Office of Personnel Management, while Arab News — citing the Wall Street Journal — also lists Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as members.
Emil Michael's title: NPR and The Hill call him Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering; Fortune describes him as the Pentagon's chief technology officer.
The Hill reports Trump 'has already ruled out Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent' for the AI czar role, while Arab News, citing the Journal, lists Bessent as a member of the task force — references to two different roles.
Who first reported the appointment: The Guardian says CBS News was first to report Clayton would be appointed White House AI czar, while The Hill says The Wall Street Journal reported he is expected to be named AI czar.
Timing of David Sacks's departure: NPR says he stepped down 'earlier this year,' while The Guardian specifies March 2026, when he reached his employment limit as a special government employee.
The task force's reporting deadline and remit on risks come from Arab News citing the Wall Street Journal and are not reported in the other supplied sources.

Gaps & Unknowns

None of the sources establishes how the Super Intelligence Force relates to the advisory committee Trump said in September he was creating, or confirms The Hill's suggestion that the force may act as the committee Trump described as able to 'watch over the whole entity.'
No source establishes whether the AI czar appointment is formally confirmed; Arab News reports the appointment is 'yet to be confirmed' and that the White House did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.
What Clayton's appointment means for the AI industry and for federal AI regulation is not established; NPR notes current US government AI regulation is limited and that Congress has not passed broad federal AI legislation.
No comment or statement appears from task force members Andrew Ferguson, Scott Kupor or Emil Michael, nor from Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
No source identifies which executives or companies signed the voluntary accord, how many signed it (The Guardian says six executives; NPR says leaders of several companies), or provides the full text of the accord.
No source reports a reaction from Congress, from state regulators, or from AI-safety researchers beyond the general description of warnings that AI development could threaten humanity or go rogue.
No independent verification of the task force's budget, staffing, authority or timelines appears beyond the charter language and the 120-day reporting period reported by Arab News via the Wall Street Journal.
No source establishes whether the 'Super Intelligence Force' supersedes or supplements existing White House AI advisory structures, including the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology co-chaired by David Sacks.

Sources & Further Reading

NPR News — original — by Chandelis Duster
Fortune — by The Associated Press
The Hill — by Elliott Davis
Washington Post Politics — by Cat Zakrzewski
The Jerusalem Post — by ASHER SMITH
The Guardian US — by Ariana Baio
Arab News — by AFP

Read the original at NPR News

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