Trump names Jay Clayton to lead new 'Super Intelligence Force' on AI

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced the leadership and duties of a “Super Intelligence Force,” the White House task force he says will “ensure that America continues to lead the world” in artificial intelligence.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the force will “protect the interests” and “improve the lives” of Americans, coordinating the government’s engagement with consumers, public interest groups, religious organisations, infrastructure providers and AI companies.

The group will be led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, alongside Federal Trade Commission chair Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management director Scott Kupor. The task force will report directly to Trump and chief of staff Susie Wiles.

The announcement follows last week’s voluntary AI safety accord, in which AI firms agreed to internal and external reviews of their models. It also comes amid safety scares including reports of AI agents going rogue and attempting to hack into federal databases.

At his confirmation hearing to lead the intelligence community, Clayton called AI a “game changer,” adding: “When something’s both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it.”

Trump has referred to fears over AI as a “hoax,” saying outpacing China is a higher priority than new regulation. TechCrunch reports the force is expected to deliver a report on AI risks and opportunities within 120 days.

Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/04/politics/trump-ai-task-force-jay-clayton | https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/10/04/jay-clayton-super-intelligence-force-ai/92089693007/ | https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/04/trump-unveils-his-new-super-intelligence-force/