Trump says US is ‘leading by a lot’ in AI, crypto — and wants to keep it that way
byJESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News Desk
Wed, August 19, 2026 at 2:51 PM
UpdatedWed, August 19, 2026 at 4:13 PM
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WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 19: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) delivers remarks as he is joined by (L-R, front) Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Paul Atkins, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael Selig, and Chairman of the NYSE and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange Jeffrey Sprecher, during a summit of crypto and technology leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on August 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump held the meeting with cryptocurrency business leaders to discuss regulatory frameworks for digital assets and artificial intelligence. Currently, the CLARITY Act, the landmark bill that would define SEC and CFTC jurisdiction over digital assets, remains stalled in the Senate. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (TNND) —President Donald Trump touted U.S. leadership in cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence (AI) on Wednesday during a White House meeting with technology executives and financial regulators, as his administration pushes ahead with a more industry-friendly approach to digital assets
Representatives from major cryptocurrency companies and financial institutions, including Coinbase, Ripple, and Nasdaq, were in attendance, along with SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Innovation Advisory Committee (CFTC) Chair Mike Selig
Trump said they are collectively ensuring that the U.S. remains the undisputed leader, not only in Bitcoin and crypto, but also technologies like prediction markets and AI
“We’re delighted to welcome some of our nation’s brightest minds in finance, crypto, and technology ahead of the first-ever meeting of the CFTC’s Innovation Advisory Committee in Washington, D.C.,” Trump said alongside technology leaders in the Roosevelt Room.
“The people in this room are ensuring that the future of commercial markets is pioneered and perfected right here in the USA,” he added. “We’re fighting a lot of other countries to control these markets, and to have these markets, and to profit — all the jobs and everything else created. We’re doing well. We’re leading in every aspect, including AI, and we’re leading by a lot — and we want to keep it that way.”
Trump also criticized the Biden administration’s approach to cryptocurrency. He said Biden’s policies discouraged innovation
“Under the Crooked Joe Biden Administration, the spirit of innovation that built America was under serious attack like never before — and nowhere was that more true crypto and other new financial technologies,” he said.
The meeting came a day after the SEC proposed new rules that would provide exemptions for certain cryptocurrency token offerings, potentially making it easier for companies to issue tokens and raise money
Broader legislation governing digital asset markets remains pending in Congress. A Senate vote on the CLARITY Act is scheduled for September 15, with Trump urging legislators to pass it
The CLARITY Act, formally the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, is legislation designed to establish clearer federal rules for cryptocurrencies and other digital assets
