Democrats warn Trump’s ME AI chip deals threaten US national security
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Senate Democrats urge tighter oversight as the Trump administration considers easing AI export rules, raising alarms over potential tech leaks to China and the future of US innovation.
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An Intel chip is displayed during an event called AI Everywhere in New York, Thursday, December 14, 2023. (AP)
A group of prominent Senate Democrats is urging the Trump administration to reconsider newly announced AI chip deals in the Middle East, as reported by Bloomberg, warning that the expanded sales of advanced semiconductors to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates may pose serious risks to US national security and AI leadership.
The agreements, unveiled by major chipmakers like Nvidia and AMD during President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf, would permit Saudi Arabia and the UAE to acquire tens of thousands of AI chips. The deals coincide with the administration’s rollback of Biden-era AI export controls designed to restrict the spread of sensitive US technology in the region.
In a letter addressed Monday to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Democratic senators, led by Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren, described the developments as “a breathtaking rollback of export control restrictions” intended to safeguard the United States’ lead in artificial intelligence and prevent adversaries from accessing sensitive technologies.
Since 2023, restrictions have limited the sale of AI chips to Saudi Arabia and the UAE amid concerns that third parties, particularly China, could acquire restricted US technology. The Trump administration is now weighing a policy shift that would relax those limits, as Gulf states intensify their ambitions to become regional AI leaders.
The Democratic lawmakers emphasized that any deals must be accompanied by rigorous safeguards to prevent technology leakage to nations such as China and Russia. While acknowledging the Gulf nations as “important regional partners,” the senators highlighted their ongoing ties with Chinese firms, including Huawei, which US authorities have flagged as a national security threat.
Safeguards questioned amid Gulf nations’ ties to China
Though the White House, State Department, and Commerce Department have not issued formal statements, Secretary Lutnick said over the weekend that any foreign semiconductor data center would require government approval. “Renewed, targeted investment is essential to our nation’s success in this critical technology,” he stated on X. “Any advanced semiconductor data center in the UAE or abroad will only be authorized if they operate with US government-approved data center operators and cloud service providers.”
The Trump administration’s rollback includes dismantling the so-called AI diffusion rule, introduced under President Joe Biden. This policy categorized countries into three tiers to regulate chip access, aiming to prevent the misuse of AI in surveillance, cyberwarfare, or bioweapons. The current administration is seeking a case-by-case framework instead, which has drawn criticism from lawmakers and industry experts alike.
According to Bloomberg, future bilateral agreements are expected to contain provisions to block Chinese AI firms from accessing Gulf-based facilities. Despite these assurances, both Democratic senators and some Trump officials remain concerned that current safeguards are insufficient.
The lawmakers further cautioned that the large-scale export of advanced chips could drain supplies needed by domestic companies. “At a time when many US companies need to wait years to acquire cutting-edge AI hardware,” they wrote, “we find it deeply troubling that the Trump Administration is prioritizing making our latest technology available to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”
The letter, signed by Senators Schumer, Warren, Jack Reed, Mark Warner, Elissa Slotkin, Chris Coons, Chris Van Hollen, and Kirsten Gillibrand, warned that without strict oversight, companies may begin shifting critical infrastructure abroad to the highest bidder, a move that could weaken the US’s AI capacity and its long-term competitiveness.
