A group of 17 Democratic senators and all 11 Democratic members of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party sent separate letters to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The senators requested that the president negotiate a mutual slowdown or pause in the development of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) during his upcoming summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The House members urged the president to make AI a central topic of the meeting, highlighting concerns regarding the potential for advanced AI to cause safety risks, such as biological or chemical attacks, or lead to a loss of human control.
The push for a diplomatic accord follows a period of rapid AI innovation where the U.S. currently maintains a lead over global competitors. While some argue that slowing development could risk America's superpower status, the Democratic signatories, led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ranking Member Ro Khanna (D-CA), contend that both nations have a shared interest in preventing the technology from causing global harm. The House members requested a post-summit briefing from the administration to detail any AI-related discussions.
President Trump indicated his opposition to certain forms of international AI management during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. He stated he would not support a global entity for AI oversight, citing the need to maintain the U.S. lead over China and avoid stifling growth that he compared in scale to the Industrial Revolution. Additionally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent proposed a "notification mechanism" to Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sunday, September 20, 2026, though reports characterize this as a communication channel for AI incidents rather than a development pause.
The 28 total Democratic lawmakers involved argue that guardrails established by the U.S. and China would set the global standard for the technology's use. However, they also emphasized that any binding international agreement must include "clear mechanisms for verifying compliance," addressing concerns that the People's Republic of China might not uphold its commitments.
What happens next: President Trump is scheduled to meet with General Secretary Xi Jinping on Thursday, September 24, 2026. The summit will determine whether the administration adopts the notification mechanism proposed by Secretary Bessent or pursues the more restrictive pause requested by the senators. The White House has not yet issued a formal response to the lawmakers' letters.