Trump's AI Executive Order Amidst Tech Industry Lobbying and Legal Actions Against Media Outlets
In December 2025, former President Trump signed an executive order aimed at prohibiting states from passing AI regulations, threatening to withhold federal broadband funding as enforcement. This move came amid intense lobbying by major tech companies including OpenAI, Microsoft, and Nvidia, which have campaigned against AI regulation, promoting growth-focused messaging. CEOs from these companies reportedly attended Mar-a-Lago events and provided gifts during this period.
OpenAI has shown signs of concern regarding Google’s progress in AI development; notably, CEO Sam Altman declared a "Code Red" following the launch of Google's Gemini 3. OpenAI has also ramped up high-profile advertising efforts to attract users. Meanwhile, Google has gained momentum via its Gemini platform and the Nano Banana tool, positioning itself at the forefront of the AI race.
Space-based data centers are increasingly explored as a future infrastructure. In November 2025, Starcloud launched a satellite carrying an Nvidia H100 chip, while Google's Project Suncatcher plans to deploy approximately 80 solar-powered satellites at an altitude of about 400 miles by 2027 to handle AI processing in orbit. However, replicating the output of a one-gigawatt terrestrial data center could require around 10,000 satellites, a substantial number in light of the approximate 11,700 active satellites today. Blue Origin is also engaged in space-based data center concepts, and SpaceX is rumored to be preparing for an IPO with an estimated valuation between $800 billion and $1 trillion. Google projects suggest that space-based data centers may reduce land and water use associated with cooling, with cost parity to Earth-based centers expected around the mid-2030s, although some executives remain skeptical about fully replicating terrestrial data center capabilities in orbit.
In a related but distinct development, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the BBC over a Panorama programme aired in October 2024. The lawsuit alleges financial and reputational harm, following the BBC’s apology for mis-edited clips of Trump’s speech on January 6, 2020, an event which the January 6 committee found to be incitement of insurrection. Editorial commentary characterizes the lawsuit as part of a broader strategy by Trump to intimidate the media, chill scrutiny, and undermine the BBC’s prestige and UK democratic infrastructure. The BBC has vowed to resist the lawsuit amid a UK government consultation on new funding models for the digital era. Similar lawsuits against the New York Times and Wall Street Journal are underway, though experts view Trump's chances of success as slim. Commentary further suggests that Trump, along with online allies such as Elon Musk, seeks to manipulate public debate and galvanize his political base, with calls for stronger support from UK leadership, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
