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Democratic leaders panic and GOP divides as AI fears spread
Confirmed
In Short: Democratic leaders are treating AI as a national security crisis, while Republicans face internal divisions over impeachment.
Democratic leaders, including former President Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton, are urging their party to address AI as an acute national security crisis, according to the Los Angeles Times.
California lawmakers are calling for emergency legislation and criminal penalties to address the risks posed by rogue AI, despite warnings from tech leaders.
Meanwhile, Republican divisions are deepening over a push by Representative Thomas Massie to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a move that has angered party leaders.
House Republicans have reversed their stance and plan to bring the Senate-passed Russia sanctions bill to the floor next week, a decision that comes amid efforts to counter Democratic momentum before the midterms.
What's confirmed
- Democratic leaders, including former President Obama and Secretary Hillary Clinton, are urging their party to address AI as an acute national security crisis, according to the Los Angeles Times.
- California lawmakers are calling for emergency legislation and criminal penalties to address the risks posed by rogue AI, despite warnings from tech leaders.
- Meanwhile, Republican divisions are deepening over a push by Representative Thomas Massie to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a move that has angered party leaders.
- House Republicans have reversed their stance and plan to bring the Senate-passed Russia sanctions bill to the floor next week, a decision that comes amid efforts to counter Democratic momentum before the midterms.
What's still developing
- At a Thursday fundraiser with Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, Obama said AI should move to the center of the Democratic agenda, both in Congress and on the campaign trail ahead of the 2028 presidential primary.
- The president’s position has put him at odds with a growing chorus of industry leaders and bipartisan lawmakers warning that AI could soon advance beyond human control.
- But he told reporters Tuesday that he did not inform party leaders of his plans to introduce the articles of impeachment against Hegseth.
- And they’re furious he made the move without informing leadership, according to multiple sources.
- Jeffries and his leadership team said in a joint statement Monday night that they will vote “present” — rather than committing to an up or down vote — on a procedural measure related to Green’s impeachment push.
- Yet both votes have created headaches for their respective party leaders, neither of whom want to spend the final days in session before the midterms dealing with impeachment drama that exposes intraparty rifts.
- “Just when you think Al Green screws us, Massie turns around and gives it right back to the Rs,” one Democratic aide quipped.
- "Voters can see through the BS that Republicans are spewing," Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois told reporters at a DNC counterprogramming news conference across the street from the convention hall.