Trump cancels AI executive order signing after top CEOs decline
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, President Donald Trump unexpectedly called off an event meant for signing an executive order just hours before it was set to occur. This order aimed to empower the government to evaluate advanced AI models prior to their public introduction. The cancellation came after Trump discovered that several prominent CEOs from AI companies were unable to attend, even with just 24 hours' notice. Some executives, who had adjusted their schedules, were on their way to the Oval Office when they received the news. As reported by Semafor, OpenAI was in favor of the signing, but Elon Musk, founder of xAI, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly advised Trump against proceeding. Additionally, David Sacks, Trump's former AI advisor, who lost his special government employee status in March, also advocated for postponement.
Key facts
- Trump canceled an AI executive order signing event on May 21, 2026.
- The order would have allowed government testing of frontier AI models before public release.
- CEOs from leading AI firms declined to attend, leading to cancellation.
- Some executives were already en route to the Oval Office when the event was canceled.
- OpenAI supported the signing.
- Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg reportedly helped derail the order.
- David Sacks, Trump's former AI advisor, also pushed for delay.
- Sacks' special government employee designation expired in March 2026.
Entities
Institutions
- OpenAI
- xAI
- Meta
- The New York Times
- Semafor
- The Information
- Ars Technica
Locations
- Oval Office
- Washington, D.C.
- United States