Trump launches 'Super Intelligence Force' with DNI Clayton as chair to coordinate federal AI policy

The four officials named to lead the task force

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday the formation of a "Super Intelligence Force" to coordinate the federal government's response to artificial intelligence, naming four senior administration officials to run it. In a morning post on Truth Social, Trump said the task force would "coordinate the effort of the Federal Government to ensure that America continues to lead the World in Super Intelligence." The Wall Street Journal, cited by TechCrunch, reported that Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton will chair the body, with Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor serving as vice chairs and reporting to Trump and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.

Rebranding AI as 'super intelligence' and the path to the task force

The announcement follows an executive order Trump signed directing federal agencies to rename the technology "super intelligence" in government documents, a step the administration took after Trump floated an "AI Force" last month and compared it to the Space Force created in his first term. The Washington Post and The Epoch Times reported that Trump unveiled the new structure on Sunday after hosting technology executives at the White House, where companies signed a non-binding safety pledge, and that the task force is expected to coordinate engagement with consumers, public-interest groups, technology companies, and infrastructure providers.

Mandate, charter, and the 120-day reporting clock

According to TechCrunch, the task force's charter directs it to "develop plans for responding to SI-enabled threats to our society, while preventing overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition," and gives the group 120 days to produce a report on AI risks and opportunities. The Washington Post noted that the officials chosen reflect competing administration interests after turf wars over how to shape AI policy, and that Clayton was selected after U.S. intelligence agencies pushed for a larger role in evaluating advanced models, citing cybersecurity threats from systems such as Anthropic's Mythos. Clayton told the Journal that one of the biggest risks is "not being first," arguing it would be irresponsible for the United States to "back away" from AI while countries including China advance.

FTC probe and industry context surrounding the launch

The Washington Post reported that the FTC under Ferguson recently opened a broad investigation into the safety of systems developed by Anthropic and OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, which could support the administration's argument that existing laws already provide adequate guardrails. The Post added that Kupor, a former managing partner at Andreessen Horowitz, brings deep venture-capital ties to AI funding, and that figures including former Trump AI czar David Sacks have pushed back against tech-regulation efforts. CBS News noted that the Super Intelligence Force follows Trump's meetings last week with leaders of the country's largest artificial-intelligence companies.

Next milestone

The task force has 120 days from its launch to deliver its report on AI risks and opportunities, and the FTC's pending investigation into Anthropic and OpenAI remains an active parallel proceeding as the new body begins its work.