Trump rescinds Biden AI order, creates DOGE, orders in-person work
President Donald Trump clawed back Joe Biden’s executive order on artificial intelligence and called for a return to office for federal employees in his first actions following his Monday inauguration.
Biden’s AI order established a roadmap for the federal government to address the growing technology while managing risks. That order prompted Office of Management and Budget memos spelling out specific steps for agencies to manage and monitor their AI use cases, acquire AI, and address the technology in national security settings.
It also launched the pilot for the National AI Research Resource, which has bipartisan support. But the order had plenty of Republican critics who said it would hinder development, in addition to taking issue with a particular portion that relied on use of the Defense Production Act.
Meanwhile, Trump’s new order for a return to in-person work called for agency leaders to “take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis.” It includes a carve out for agencies to “make exemptions they deem necessary.”
The new auctions were just some of the many “day one” efforts, and make good on plans that Trump and Republicans outlined before he was sworn in again. Rescinding Biden’s AI order was a part of the Republican party platform, which called it “dangerous,” and Trump and his allies have been vocal about requiring federal workers to work in person.
In that same vein, Trump also issued an order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The order renames the U.S. Digital Service as “the United States DOGE Service” and charges it with “modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
Within USDS, the order also establishes a temporary service organization called the “U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization” that will be led by the USDS administrator. That organization will be focused on “advancing the President’s 18-month DOGE agenda.” Agencies will also be required to establish “DOGE Teams” that will work with the USDS and implement the agenda.
