Donald Trump touted a huge AI project Tuesday in a shock-and-awe start to his second presidency – but faced defiance including a rare public dressing down from a bishop.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a major investment to build infrastructure for artificial intelligence led by Japanese giant Softbank, cloud giant Oracle and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.
The venture, called Stargate, "will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States," Trump said in remarks at the White House. "This monumental undertaking is a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential," he said, a day after his swearing in for a second term.
OpenAI's chief executive Sam Altman, SoftBank's chief Masayoshi Son and Oracle founder Larry Ellison attended the announcement. Their project is committed to invest an initial $100 billion and up to $500 billion over the next four years in the project, according to Son.
The venture comes as big tech players are scrambling to meet AI's voracious computing needs, as well as find the electric power necessary to expand the new technology.
Trump said Stargate will be building the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of advancements in AI, including the construction of "colossal data centers."
OpenAI later said in an X post that the project "will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies." It added that SoftBank and OpenAI were the lead partners for Stargate, with SoftBank having financial responsibility and OpenAI having operational responsibility.
The post also said that MGX, a technology fund from the United Arab Emirates, was a fourth investor, while "Arm, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial technology partners."
"Buildout is currently underway, starting in Texas, and we are evaluating potential sites across the country for more campuses as we finalize definitive agreements," it added. Texas is fast becoming an alternative to California for US big tech investments.
In turn, the three bosses thanked Trump. "We couldn't have done this without you," said Altman. Ellison, in brief remarks at the White House, underlined the medical innovations promised by AI such as "early cancer detection with a blood test."
SoftBank shares soared more than eight percent in Tokyo after the announcement.
News of the project comes a day after Trump's inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent tech chiefs, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon leader Jeff Bezos.
Later on Monday, Trump rescinded an executive order from his predecessor Joe Biden that established oversight measures for companies developing powerful AI models.
Its repeal leaves the United States, home to most of the world's most impactful AI technology, without nationwide AI development guidelines, even if individual states are pursuing their own measures.
The Republican also defended his sweeping pardons of US Capitol rioters, including key figures from the far-right Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups who were released from jail on Tuesday.
Trump has vowed a "new golden age" for America, signing a slew of executive orders in his first 24 hours on immigration, gender and climate that overturn many of Democrat Joe Biden's policies.
"This monumental undertaking is a resounding declaration of confidence in America's potential," said Trump.
Tech barons have swung behind Trump, with the world's richest man Elon Musk even joining his administration. Trump said he was open to Musk buying the Chinese-owned app TikTok to keep it open in the United States.
But Trump – at 78 the oldest person ever to be sworn in as president – has also promised retribution as part of what he says is a bid to overhaul Biden's "deep state."
His administration fired Coast Guard chief Linda Fagan – the first woman to lead a US military service – with an official blaming her "leadership deficiencies" and an "excessive focus" on diversity programs.
'Have mercy'
Trump also withdrew Secret Service protection for former US national security advisor John Bolton, the target of an alleged Iranian assassination plot, with whom he fell out. "He was a very dumb person," said Trump.
Trump earlier announced plans to fire some 1,000 opponents in federal roles. Four people had already been "FIRED!" he wrote, including retired general Mark Milley, his former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, who became a prominent critic.
Trump also faced fresh criticism from an unexpected and powerful voice Tuesday when a Washington bishop told him from the pulpit that he was sowing fear among America's immigrants and LGBTQ people.
"I ask you to have mercy, Mr President," the Washington National Cathedral's Mariann Edgar Budde told an unsmiling Trump, seated in the front pew for the customary inaugural service next to his wife Melania.
Early Wednesday, Trump blasted Budde on his Truth Social platform, calling the Episcopal bishop "nasty" and demanding an apology.
"The so-called Bishop who spoke at the National Prayer Service on Tuesday morning was a Radical Left hard line Trump hater," Trump wrote, without naming Budde.
"She brought her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way. She was nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart." Railing against "illegal migrants," the president also slammed Budde's "very boring and uninspiring" service. "She is not very good at her job! She and her church owe the public an apology!" he said.
Trump issued measures Monday to suspend the arrival of asylum seekers and expel migrants in the country illegally.
He also decreed that only two sexes – male and female, but not transgender – will be recognized.
'Ridiculous'
He also granted pardons to more than 1,500 people who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, including those convicted of assaulting police officers.
Two prominent rioters had their sentences commuted: Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the far-right Proud Boys, and Stewart Rhodes, the head of another such group, the Oath Keepers. "I thought their sentences were ridiculous and excessive," Trump told reporters. Trump had infamously told the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by" when asked during a debate with Biden in 2020 whether he condemned white supremacist and militia groups. Democrats condemned the "shameful" pardons.
The Republican president meanwhile faced pushback on his order revoking birthright citizenship -- guaranteed by the US Constitution -- with 22 Democratic-leaning states launching legal action against the plan.
It would prevent the federal government from issuing passports or citizenship certificates to children whose parents are in the country illegally or temporarily.
Trump is pushing a turbocharged agenda after his inauguration on Monday, in which he gave a speech that mixed dark imagery about a failing America with promises of renewal. He is also sowing fresh disruption on the international stage.
Trump threatened tariffs against the European Union on Tuesday, adding the bloc to Canada and Mexico as potential targets.
He added that Russia was likely to face fresh sanctions if it did not agree to a peace deal in Ukraine.
By Danny Kemp and Sebastian Smith, AFP
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