In a rare bipartisan move, a group of United States senators has introduced new legislation that would block President Donald Trump’s administration from easing critical restrictions on the export of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China and other geopolitical rivals. The initiative underscores growing concerns in Washington over the national security implications of AI technology falling into the hands of adversarial states.
Unveiled on Thursday, the legislation titled the SAFE CHIPS Act is spearheaded by Republican Senator Pete Ricketts and Democratic Senator Chris Coons. The bill proposes a 30-month freeze on any relaxation of export restrictions concerning AI chips to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. During this period, the US Department of Commerce would be mandated to deny all license requests for chips more advanced than those currently permitted for sale in these countries.
Furthermore, after the initial 30-month window, the Commerce Department would be required to brief Congress on any proposed rule changes at least one month before they take effect a move designed to increase transparency and oversight of future export policy shifts.
Senator Ricketts emphasized the bill’s strategic importance, stating, “Denying Beijing access to the best US AI chips is essential to our national security.”
The bill also has support from other prominent lawmakers, including Republican Dave McCormick and Democrats Jeanne Shaheen and Andy Kim. Notably, this effort marks an unusual instance in which members of President Trump’s own party are taking legislative steps to limit his administration’s authority on high-stakes trade policy with China.
The urgency of the legislation arises from recent back-and-forth actions by the Trump administration. In response to China’s imposition of export controls on key rare earth elements materials vital for semiconductor production and advanced electronics the US Commerce Department initially restricted sales of Nvidia’s advanced H20 AI chips to China. However, the department later rolled back those restrictions, a decision that drew sharp criticism from lawmakers including Republican Representative John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on China.
As part of a broader negotiation effort with Beijing, President Trump also delayed by one year the implementation of a rule designed to limit tech exports to subsidiaries of already-blacklisted Chinese companies. Additionally, he has promised to repeal a Biden-era policy that restricts AI chip exports globally, citing concerns over the potential for smuggling into China.
Washington’s escalating scrutiny over AI chip exports reflects a growing bipartisan consensus that advanced technologies are now central to global strategic competition particularly with China. With AI increasingly integrated into military and intelligence systems, lawmakers across the aisle are wary of allowing even indirect technological transfers that could strengthen China’s capabilities.
As tensions over technology and trade continue to rise, the SAFE CHIPS Act signals that export control policy may remain a point of contention within US domestic politics, regardless of who occupies the White House.
