Trump preps AI executive orders to beat China in tech arms race

Trump is preparing executive orders from the White House to ramp up the United States’ AI infrastructure, a move meant to widen the gap with China in the global tech arms race, according to reporting from Reuters.

The orders, still being finalized, aim to fix a critical issue choking US progress—energy. Training massive AI systems eats up huge amounts of electricity, and utilities across the country are already struggling to keep up.

This isn’t just about tech anymore. It’s about power… literally. The government is looking to fast-track power projects, open up federal land for data centers, and roll out a nationwide permitting system that makes it easier to get these facilities built.

These actions are being drafted as pressure grows to stop China from catching up in AI development, military capabilities, and economic influence.

White House clears land and cuts delays

Trump’s plan would open up land owned by the Defense and Interior Departments to companies building AI infrastructure. These plots are large, secure, and already under federal control, which makes them easier to allocate quickly.

Current zoning laws in states and towns have slowed down AI-related projects, and some have even been blocked due to local backlash. The administration believes offering federal land could eliminate those setbacks.

At the same time, the White House is working on a nationwide permit under the Clean Water Act. That would allow developers to skip the slow, expensive state-by-state process. A senior official involved in the discussions said, “We’re looking at a blanket permit structure to reduce red tape and get things moving faster.”

These steps aim to accelerate the construction of the energy-hungry data centers that AI models require to function.

And this demand is no joke. A report by Grid Strategies shows that electricity demand in the US between 2024 and 2029 is expected to grow five times faster than estimates made in 2022. Another report by Deloitte projects that by 2035, the amount of power consumed by AI data centers could grow more than thirtyfold. The infrastructure simply isn’t ready.

Trump pushes grid access and Stargate project

Another major part of the executive actions involves clearing the backlog of energy projects that have been stuck waiting to connect to the national grid. These projects often spend years buried in impact studies, with no progress because the country’s transmission network is already at its limit. Trump’s energy team is looking to identify the most complete projects and move them to the top of the queue.

Energy isn’t the only focus. Trump is also throwing support behind the Stargate Project, a multi-billion dollar collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle. He met with the companies’ CEOs in January at the White House, where they presented their plan to build a network of data centers across the US and create over 100,000 jobs. The initiative fits directly into the president’s plan to dominate global AI.

On his first day back in office, Trump declared a national energy emergency. That declaration removed regulatory barriers for oil and gas drilling, coal extraction, and mineral mining. It also accelerated permits for natural gas and nuclear power plants. Trump wants these traditional energy sources back online fast to meet growing power needs. He has made it clear that boosting electricity capacity is central to staying ahead of China.

Trump also ordered a full AI Action Plan in January. That report, which includes input from the National Security Council, is due by July 23. There’s internal talk of branding that day “AI Action Day”, with public events and media coverage to show commitment to scaling the industry.

Trump will discuss these plans in more detail during a public appearance scheduled for July 15 in Pennsylvania, at an AI and energy event hosted by Senator Dave McCormick. The event is expected to highlight upcoming regulatory changes, grid reforms, and infrastructure updates.

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