White House spokeswoman Liz Huston says Trump's hoax remark was aimed at Democrats using AI concern to score points
Liz HustonWhite House spokeswoman, in a statement to The New York Times
Asked by The New York Times about Trump calling AI fears a hoax, Huston says the president meant that Democrats using concern about AI to score political points is the hoax, and she compares it to what she describes as Democratic claims about climate change.
“President Trump is saying that Democrats using A.I. concern as a way to score points is a hoax, just like their claims that climate change would kill everyone in six years.”
Reporting
Other statements by Liz Huston in this case
- White House spokeswoman Liz Huston says Trump reversed a heavy-handed Biden approach to AILater: Defended or excused
- White House spokeswoman Liz Huston answers a poll on AI safety measures by citing Trump's commitment to consumersLater: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Should Washington impose stronger safeguards on frontier AI?
Washington's frontier-AI safeguards dispute continued beyond September's calls for legislation. On September 29, Trump and six companies signed an accord covering internal controls, outside evaluations and board oversight, with possible later codification. Trump defended self-regulation and existing federal powers. Critics including Jon Stewart and Tom Wheeler argue that company-led oversight is insufficient. An October 9 task-force statement describes reporting and remediation as mandatory, but does not specify enforcement mechanisms or penalties. The question remains whether Washington's approach supplies adequate, enforceable safeguards while allowing continued AI development.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Daily Beast reports on The New York Times's September 18 account of White House aides urging caution on AI after Trump called AI fears a hoax, and on Michael Wolff's comments about it. It quotes Trump at the All-In Summit and the statement White House spokesperson Elizabeth (Liz) Huston gave the Times about his remark.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
On September 14, Trump told the All-In Summit by phone that "it's all a hoax" and that data centers make people and states wealthy. The New York Times reported on September 18 that White House aides had urged him to be more cautious on AI after he dismissed AI fears, and asked the White House about the remark.
After the quotation
The Daily Beast reported the statement on September 19 in a story on leaks about internal White House debates, including the debate over AI.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case examines Washington's current approach to frontier-AI safeguards, which Trump defends by relying on company self-regulation and existing federal powers. Huston does not argue here for or against added safeguards. She disputes the reading of Trump's hoax remark as a dismissal of AI risk and says it was aimed at Democrats who use AI concern to score points. The closest competing label is defends or excuses; that loses because the statement recasts what Trump meant rather than arguing that the current safeguards are enough.
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- White House spokeswoman Liz Huston says Trump's hoax remark was aimed at Democrats using AI concern to score points
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The Dispute Index. "White House spokeswoman Liz Huston says Trump's hoax remark was aimed at Democrats using AI concern to score points". First published: 2026-11-13. Last updated: 2026-11-13. https://disputeindex.com/events/8818-asked-by-the-new-york-times-about-trump