Trump says AI risks are manageable and signals openness to guardrails

The president told CBS he could work with Democrats on safeguards, as long as they don't leave the US trailing China

President Donald Trump says the dangers of artificial intelligence can be managed. He also says he is open to putting some rules around the technology.

For a president who has spent much of his term arguing that tech companies should mostly regulate themselves, that counts as a noticeable change of tone. The catch is a familiar one: any guardrails can’t cost America its lead over China.

What Trump told CBS

The remarks came during a November 8, 2026 interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes. Trump was asked a pointed question: should the United States accept AI’s risks as the price of staying ahead of China?

His answer amounted to a qualified yes. He described the risks as manageable and said he would be willing to work with Democrats on safeguards.

“I don’t mind guardrails,” Trump told CBS.

He then set his limit. Regulation, in his view, should not shove the United States into a distant second place behind China. He argued that Beijing operates with no comparable restrictions on its own AI development.

The i...