More than two dozen House Democrats sent a formal letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on September 18, 2026. The lawmakers are urging the Trump administration to establish sustained diplomatic channels with China to address national security risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Representative Gregory Meeks led the initiative, arguing that existing communication methods are insufficient given the rapid pace of AI development. The group advocates for structured dialogue that goes beyond standard diplomatic meetings, such as the visit of President Xi Jinping to the White House.
Representative Ro Khanna has initiated contact with Chinese firms, including Alibaba and Moonshot AI, to discuss potential commitments to an international agreement on responsible AI development. Meanwhile, Representative Ted Lieu and Senator Ed Markey have requested that President Trump secure guarantees from China regarding human oversight of nuclear weapon launch decisions.
A virtual hearing on US-China AI risks was scheduled for September 23, 2026. This session is expected to clarify how Democratic lawmakers intend to pursue legislative action, including the possibility of creating a bilateral AI risk communication channel modeled after Cold War-era nuclear hotlines.
