Trump Declines AI Joint Venture with China, Citing Security

Tue Sep 29 2026 19:23:43 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Presidential statement: the U.S. will not partner with China on AI, arguing it would hand over secrets and undermine American dominance.

President Donald Trump voiced in Washington that a joint AI venture with China would hand over America’s secrets to its chief rival. He highlighted that the U.S. maintains a lead in AI, a lead he wants to keep without sharing knowledge. The comments followed a summit with President Xi where both sides opened an AI dialogue but no cooperation was agreed upon. Trump dismissed domestic fears of AI as a hoax, placing his skepticism over the technology’s alleged dangers.

Trump Declines AI Joint Venture with China, Citing Security

At an event announcing the new America.gov AI portal, President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to a dual‑nation AI partnership with China, warning it would be a gift of secrets to America’s main rival.

The comments came after last week’s historic summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping, which saw both leaders agree on a new AI dialogue and communication channel to avoid misunderstandings.

Trump said the United States is “leading by a lot” in the field and that sharing knowledge would give China “a way to instantly gain things we know they don’t know.” He framed AI as a zero‑sum game between the U.S. and China.

Domestically, polls show a growing unease over AI’s risks, with two thirds of Americans acknowledging technological dangers. Trump, however, dismisses such concerns as a “hoax,” likening them to a “global warming scam” he attributes to the Left.

The president’s stance signals a hardline approach to protecting American technological leadership, even as academic experts warn that international cooperation could mitigate existential risks.