Trump announces 'Super Intelligence Force' led by intelligence chief Jay Clayton

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, October 4, 2026, the formation of the "Super Intelligence Force," a government task force aimed at coordinating federal efforts to maintain U.S. leadership in super intelligence. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said super intelligence would "protect the interests, and improve the lives, of all Americans," describing it as bigger than the Industrial Revolution and the Internet.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the task force will be chaired by National Intelligence Director Jay Clayton, effectively serving as the administration's AI czar. Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor will serve as vice chairs. Clayton has previously said it would be irresponsible for the United States to "back away" from AI while countries such as China advance, and that one of the biggest risks is "not being first."

The announcement follows Trump's September 2026 plan to create an AI Force and appoint an AI czar, and his executive order rebranding AI as "super intelligence." Tech executives who gathered at the White House to sign a non-binding safety pledge also used the term. The task force is expected to produce a report on AI risks and opportunities within 120 days. Its charter says it will develop plans for responding to super-intelligence-enabled threats to society while preventing overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition.