Trump Forms a Super Intelligence Force Chaired by Intelligence Chief Jay Clayton

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, October 4, 2026 the creation of a Super Intelligence Force, a federal task force to coordinate the government's work on AI. He said in a post on Truth Social that Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton and other members of his administration will lead it.

The announcement follows a busy stretch for US policy and safety on AI. TechCrunch reports that Trump said in September he would form an "AI Force" and appoint an AI czar, then signed an executive order that renames artificial intelligence "super intelligence" in official use, and last week hosted tech executives at the White House to sign a non binding safety pledge.

What did Trump announce?

Trump announced a task force to coordinate federal work on AI and named Jay Clayton to lead it, in a Truth Social post on October 4, 2026. TechCrunch quoted the post:

The name follows the administration's new vocabulary. In AI research, superintelligence refers to systems that far surpass human intelligence, which do not exist today, The Decoder notes. In the administration's usage, super intelligence simply means AI.

Who is on the task force?

Jay Clayton chairs the Super Intelligence Force, The Wall Street Journal reported, according to TechCrunch. That makes him, in TechCrunch's words, effectively the new AI czar.

The WSJ report names three vice chairs, according to TechCrunch: Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor. The Decoder reports that the body answers directly to the president and to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

What is it supposed to do?

The task force reportedly has 120 days to write a report on the risks and opportunities of AI, according to the WSJ as cited by TechCrunch. Its charter, as reported, says it will "develop plans for responding to SI-enabled threats to our society, while preventing overregulation and regulatory capture that would stifle innovation and competition."

The Decoder reports that the body will coordinate outreach to consumers, interest groups, religious organizations, critical infrastructure operators and AI companies. Clayton told the WSJ that one of the biggest risks is "not being first," TechCrunch reported, in line with his earlier comments that the US should not back away from AI while China advances.

How does it fit with last week's industry pledge?

The task force arrives days after AI company leaders signed a "Joint Commitment on Frontier Responsibilities" at the White House, which TechCrunch describes as "deeply non-binding" in legal terms. Trump has called the pledge "morally binding," according to TechCrunch.

The Decoder reports that the executives agreed to independent third party auditors who would check that AI models are "operating as intended." Based on what has been reported so far, the new task force coordinates, does outreach and writes a report; no source describes powers to regulate AI companies.

What we don't know yet

• The full text of the task force's charter and whether it has been published.
• Whether the body has its own budget or staff, or relies on the agencies of its members.
• How it will work with existing offices such as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
• What powers, if any, it has over AI companies beyond coordination and outreach.