This week at the White House, several key initiatives are in focus. Here’s a summary of the major developments happening in Washington under President Trump. No opinions—just facts.
Trump Administration Revises AI Chip Export Policy
On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke U.S. chip export controls referred to as the “AI diffusion rule,” halting a series of artificial intelligence semiconductor restrictions that were scheduled to take effect the following week.
A spokesperson from the Department of Commerce confirmed the decision to CNBC, following an earlier report by Bloomberg. Following the announcement, shares of Nvidia rose. The company has previously expressed concerns that limitations on chip exports could impact U.S. competitiveness in advanced technology sectors.
In a statement, an Nvidia representative said the company supports the administration’s updated approach to AI policy. The spokesperson noted that the change could support domestic job creation, infrastructure development, and broader economic goals.
Lawmakers Call for Investigation Into Trump-Backed Tokens
Democratic lawmakers intensified their focus this week on cryptocurrency projects linked to President Donald Trump and the financial gains associated with them, as a vote approaches on a major digital assets bill.
The GENIUS ACT, scheduled for a vote on Thursday, aims to create federal regulations for stablecoins. The bill is expected to test the level of influence held by the cryptocurrency industry, which was a significant supporter of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Despite being in the minority, Democrats are pursuing investigations into digital assets tied to Trump, requesting financial disclosures and challenging related legislation.
Administration Proposes $6 Billion Cut to NASA
The Trump administration has proposed reducing NASA’s budget by approximately $6 billion, reallocating $1 billion of the remaining funds toward programs focused on Mars exploration—an area of long-standing interest for SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk.
According to a discretionary budget document posted on NASA’s website Friday, the plan would prioritize missions aimed at returning to the Moon ahead of China and advancing toward sending the first human to Mars.
The agency indicated that the proposed changes would require adjustments across several areas, including workforce levels, IT services, center operations, facilities maintenance, construction, and environmental compliance. Multiple missions deemed unaffordable would be canceled, and funding for some scientific projects would be reduced in the interest of budgetary discipline.
White House Shares New AI Image
President Donald Trump commented on a social media post shared by the White House on Friday night that showed an AI-generated image of him dressed in papal robes.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said the post was intended to be lighthearted. “Actually, my wife thought it was cute,” he said. He acknowledged the humorous nature of the image, noting, “I would not be able to be married, though. That wouldn’t be allowed. To the best of my knowledge, popes aren’t getting married.”
The image, which appeared to have been created using AI tools, depicted Trump in traditional white papal attire.
