# Washington vs the states on AI rules

> How is the US federal government trying to override state AI laws, and how far has it got?

Since mid-2025 the White House has moved from discouraging state AI regulation to suing over it and drafting a preemption template for Congress. State laws remain enforceable unless courts or Congress act, which is where the fight now sits.

## Stops
1. **23 Jan 2025: EO 14179** (Rule) January 2025 order that reset US AI policy toward deregulation. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-eo-14179-removing-barriers-ai-2025/) · [source](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/31/2025-02172/removing-barriers-to-american-leadership-in-artificial-intelligence)
2. **23 Jul 2025: White House publishes America's AI Action Plan and three executive orders** (Development) The plan first ties federal funding to a state's AI regulatory climate. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-ai-action-plan-2025-07/) · [source](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Americas-AI-Action-Plan.pdf)
3. **11 Dec 2025: Trump executive order targets state AI laws with litigation and funding pressure** (Development) Turns the idea into a litigation, funding and legislative campaign. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-eo-14365-state-ai-law-preemption-2025-12/) · [source](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/16/2025-23092/ensuring-a-national-policy-framework-for-artificial-intelligence)
4. **9 Jan 2026: Attorney General sets up DOJ AI Litigation Task Force to challenge state AI laws** (Development) DOJ builds the unit that will challenge state statutes in court. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-doj-ai-litigation-task-force-2026-01/) · [source](https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1422986/dl)
5. **17 May 2024: Colorado AI Act (SB 24-205)** (Rule) Colorado's law becomes the first target when DOJ joins xAI's suit. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-co-sb24-205-colorado-ai-act/) · [source](https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb24-205)
6. **20 Mar 2026: White House sends Congress AI framework calling for preemption of state laws** (Development) The administration's template for what Congress should preempt and what it should spare. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/d/us-wh-ai-legislative-framework-2026-03/) · [source](https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/03.20.26-National-Policy-Framework-for-Artificial-Intelligence-Legislative-Recommendations.pdf)
7. **4 Jun 2026: Great American AI Act** (Rule) Bipartisan draft offering a narrower, three-year preemption of model-development laws. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-great-american-ai-act-draft-2026/) · [source](https://obernolte.house.gov/media/press-releases/obernolte-trahan-release-discussion-draft-great-american-ai-act)
8. **29 Sep 2025: SB 53 / TFAIA** (Rule) California's frontier transparency law is the state rule most exposed if preemption passes. [page](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/us-ca-sb53-tfaia-2025/) · [source](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-sb-53-advancing-californias-world-leading-artificial-intelligence-industry/)

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