Senate Majority Leader John Thune recently indicated that President Trump’s public opposition to AI regulation may not reflect his private willingness to engage on the issue. In a conversation with Axios, Thune stated that he believes the President is "not really dug in" against the implementation of AI guardrails, despite Trump’s vocal campaign rhetoric against restricting the technology.

Thune reported that he held private discussions with the President several weeks ago when debates surrounding AI policy were intensifying. According to Thune, Trump’s public defiance is largely a response to what the President perceives as "paranoia and noise" surrounding the rapid development of artificial intelligence. Thune interprets Trump’s underlying position as a preference for industry-led solutions rather than government-mandated restrictions. Under this framework, the President would likely favor relying on technical experts and private companies to develop security protocols for their own systems, rather than having Congress or the executive branch impose broad regulatory frameworks.

While Thune’s assessment suggests a path for potential cooperation, it remains to be seen how this private sentiment will translate into legislative action. The Senator’s comments highlight a potential disconnect between the President’s public-facing campaign promises and his private approach to policy-making, suggesting that while Trump may be skeptical of heavy-handed government intervention, he may not be entirely opposed to all forms of AI oversight if they are driven by industry experts.