Rep. Don Beyer, who represents Virginia’s 8th district in the U.S. Congress, raised concerns on July 24, 2025, about the federal government’s approach to artificial intelligence regulation and recent Pentagon contracts with private technology companies.
In a post on his official Twitter account dated July 24, 2025, Beyer wrote: “We have already seen private tech companies rewarded for catering to Trump, for instance the wildly inappropriate $200 million Pentagon contract for Elon Musk’s Grok AI despite that platform’s recent history of racist misinformation, antisemitism, and support for Adolf Hitler –”
Beyer continued his criticism of federal oversight in a subsequent tweet on the same day: “We are alarmed by the absence of regulatory structure in this AI Action Plan to ensure the responsible development, deployment, or use of AI models, and by the apparent targeting of state-level regulations.
As AI is integrated with daily life and tech leaders develop more”
Later that afternoon, Beyer addressed the role of states in regulating artificial intelligence: “In the absence of any meaningful federal alternative, states are leading on safeguards to protect the public, build consumer trust, and ensure innovation and competition can thrive.
Trump’s plan could open the door to forcing states to forfeit their ability to protect the public”
Beyer has served as a member of Congress since 2015 after succeeding Jim Moran. He was born in Trieste in 1950 and currently resides in Alexandria. The congressman graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1972.
His comments reflect ongoing debates about federal versus state roles in regulating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. As national policymakers consider new frameworks for AI oversight, some lawmakers have expressed concern that current proposals may limit state authority while awarding significant contracts to private sector firms without robust regulatory safeguards.
