In the summer of 2026, President Trump elevated artificial intelligence from a technical policy question to a defining feature of his presidency, dismissing safety concerns as a hoax and declaring that only a strong executive — not new laws — is needed to govern the technology. His stance reflects a familiar logic: economic growth must be protected, American dominance over China must be preserved, and centralized authority is preferable to legislative deliberation. Yet the embrace has fractured his own coalition, drawn rare bipartisan criticism, and left a quieter question hanging over Washing