Justice Department Warns AI Critics Could Face Prosecution Under Foreign Agent Rules

The Justice Department has instructed citizens and noncitizens that furthering the goals of a foreign power in any public activity, including public demonstrations, may require formal notification to the government to avoid arrest and prosecution, according to a department warning issued the week of Sept. 22, 2026. The warning did not identify specific protests.

The directive followed a series of public statements by President Donald Trump casting opposition to artificial intelligence and data centers as a foreign-backed conspiracy. On Sept. 14, Trump posted that "There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China," adding, "Conspiracy Theorists, Treasonists, Traitors, and Leakers, BEWARE!" On Sept. 19, the president said his administration would also be "looking for BAD" actors in the AI space, stating, "we can do that, very easily, with our already existing Criminal and Civil Justice System."

The department's warning, which carries the threat of "criminal liability,"  arrives as public skepticism toward AI remains widespread. Trump has characterized doubters of the technology as "Revolutionaries, but Revolutionaries for a Bad and Evil Cause," according to the article.

Congressional and Administration Pressure

The department's action followed months of pressure from Republican lawmakers who have argued that foreign adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), are attempting to influence U.S. policy on data center construction. In June, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton (R-AR) asked acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to investigate "foreign influence efforts targeting the buildout of American AI infrastructure." "Alarming reports indicate that a network of foreign actors, led by the CCP, is attempting to manipulate U.S. policy and public opinion on data centers," Cotton wrote.

Cotton's chief exhibit was Neville Roy Singham, a Shanghai-based American tech mogul whose network of left-wing U.S. nonprofits, Cotton claimed, has spent years producing content opposing American AI infrastructure. Cotton alleged the Chinese government was the "ultimate paymaster" and complained that "no entity in the network has been charged under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)." He asked the Justice Department to "launch a full investigation into these matters." The article states that no entity in the network had been charged under FARA.

House Republicans had raised nearly identical concerns. Top Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led by Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), asked FBI Director Kash Patel and the White House for a briefing on what they called foreign influence campaigns aimed at blocking American data centers. "The fact that Chinese Communist Party-backed entities and other foreign adversaries may be attempting to influence decisions related to American data center infrastructure puts into perspective how serious of a fight we are in," Guthrie said. Previous reporting has documented the Chinese Communist Party's pattern of suppressing dissent and controlling information both domestically and abroad ^[1].

Allies in Tech and Business Repeat Claims

Before the administration's formal warning, figures in Trump's orbit had been advancing similar claims. David Sacks, the venture capitalist who served as Trump's AI czar before stepping down to become co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, has cast domestic resistance to AI as a gift to Beijing. After a Chinese model topped a coding leaderboard in July, Sacks complained that "America is tying itself in knots: politicians and bureaucrats are banning new data centers... This is how you lose the AI race," according to the article. He later warned on Fox News against moves that would "just hand the whole ball game to China."

Kevin O'Leary, the "Shark Tank" investor behind a planned $100 billion data center in Utah, claimed this spring that hundreds of millions of dollars from China were paying protesters to oppose data centers like his. The Alliance for a Better Utah responded: "The only foreign interest in this data center is Kevin from Canada," according to the article. In a June 25 post on X, O'Leary conceded he had "no evidence" that the groups and people he had named were funded by China. Fox News aired apologies, and two of the groups have since sued O'Leary and Fox for defamation.

Industry groups have echoed the message. A spokesperson for the pro-AI Innovation Council told the Daily Caller that the anti-data center campaign was "a manufactured op by dark anti-American forces and foreign governments." The claims have unfolded as major technology companies deepen financial ties with foreign sovereign investors, including a $3 billion Saudi investment in Elon Musk's xAI announced in February ^[2].

Public Opinion on AI and Data Centers

Polling data indicates that opposition to AI data centers is widespread and crosses party lines, undercutting claims that the sentiment is manufactured by foreign actors. A Gallup poll conducted in March found that 71% of Americans oppose building an AI data center in their area. That is more than the 53% who oppose a local nuclear plant. Nearly half, 48%, are strongly opposed, including 63% of Republicans.

A February Pew survey of more than 5,000 adults found that nearly half of Americans now use AI chatbots. Yet 40% said AI will hurt society over the next 20 years, compared with 16% who said it will help. Pew also found that 63% said AI is advancing too quickly, 71% said it will make their personal information less secure, and 67% had little or no confidence in the federal government to regulate it.

The public's skepticism extends to how AI is being rolled out. Pew Research last year found that 61% want more control over how AI is used in their lives, and about six in ten worry government regulation will be too lax. The article states that the public wants a say and wants at least some controls in place.

Justice Department Interventions

The administration's strategy of invoking national security to advance AI development has extended beyond rhetorical warnings to direct intervention in legal proceedings. In June, the Justice Department intervened in an NAACP lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI over dozens of gas turbines the company was running without air permits to power a data center it maintained in Tennessee.

The department asked a federal judge to throw the case out, arguing that the NAACP "threatens American national, economic, and energy security." To buttress the argument, the government filed a sworn declaration from Cameron Stanley, the Pentagon's chief digital and artificial intelligence officer. Stanley swore to the court that Grok was "a matter of paramount national security."

The pattern reflects a broader push to shield AI infrastructure from regulatory and legal challenges. The administration announced the $500 billion "Stargate" initiative in January 2025 with the stated goal of establishing AI data centers nationwide and securing the United States' position as a global AI leader ^[3].

Outlook and Open Questions

The administration's posture comes amid broader economic and geopolitical uncertainties. The U.S. economy grew just 1.5 percent in the second quarter, missing estimates, according to federal data ^[4]. The Federal Reserve has signaled that inflation remains elevated, with the central bank opening the door to rate hikes ^[5]. Against this backdrop, the administration's aggressive stance toward AI critics has drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates, who note that government surveillance of protest activity has precedent. A recent report found that law enforcement fusion centers are monitoring social media accounts of activists who oppose Flock Safety cameras ^[6].

References

1. Committee to Protect Journalists. "Attacks on the Press in 2011: A Worldwide Survey".
2. Cassie B. "Musk Deepens Saudi Ties with $3 Billion AI Deal, Raising National Security Questions". NaturalNews.com. February 20, 2026.
3. Belle Carter. "U.S. launches $500B AI initiative to counter China's tech advancements". NaturalNews.com. January 26, 2025.
4. ZeroHedge. "US Grows Only 1.5% In Q2, Badly Missing Estimates, Despite Strong Spending, Investment". July 30, 2026.
5. NTD. "Fed Chair Warsh Says US Inflation Is Still Too High, Opens the Door to Rate Hikes". August 28, 2026.
6. The New American. "Report: Government Monitors Anti-Flock Social Media Critics". August 19, 2026.

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