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Meet the ex-Biden appointee who could be major force against Trump’s AI agenda: ‘Doomsayer’
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FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s push to establish «America’s global AI dominance» could run into friction from an unlikely source: the «effective altruism» movement, a small but influential group that has a darker outlook on artificial intelligence.
Trump signed an executive order earlier this year titled, «Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence.» This week he met with top technology industry leaders, including Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates and others, for meetings at the White House in which AI loomed large in the discussions. However, not all the industry’s leaders share the president’s vision for American AI dominance.
Jason Matheny, a former senior Biden official who currently serves as the CEO of the RAND Corporation, is a leader in the effective altruism movement, which, among other priorities, seeks to regulate the development of artificial intelligence with the goal of reducing its risks.
Effective altruism is a philanthropic social movement where proponents claim to be aiming to maximize the good they can do in the world and give to what they calculate are the most effective charities and interventions. Part of this movement includes powerful donors from across many sectors, including technology, where funds are poured into fighting against what the group sees as existential threats, including artificial intelligence.
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US President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the «Winning the AI Race» AI Summit at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC, on July 23, 2025. (Getty)
Some in the movement have also pledged to give away a portion of their income, while others have argued about the morality of earning as much money as possible in order to give it away.
A former Defense Department official familiar with the industry’s leaders told Fox News Digital that since a 2017 speech at an effective altruism forum in which he laid out his vision, Matheny has «been very deliberate about inserting personnel who share his AI-doomerism worldview» into government and government contractor roles.
«Since then, he has made good on every single one of his calls to action to explicitly infiltrate think tanks, in-government decision makers, and trusted government contractors with this effective altruism, AI kind of doomsayer philosophy,» the official continued.
A RAND Corporation spokesperson pushed back against this label and said that Matheny «believes a wide range of views and backgrounds are essential to analyzing and informing sound public policy. His interest is in encouraging talented young people to embrace public service.»
The spokesperson added that AI being an «existential threat» is «not the lens» through which the company approaches AI, but said, «Our researchers are taking a broad look at the many ways AI is and will impact society – including both opportunities and threats.»
In his 2017 speech, Matheny discussed his vision of influencing the government from the inside and outside to advance effective altruistic goals.
«The work that I’ve done at IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity) has convinced me that there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit within government positions that we should be picking as effective altruists. There are many different roles that effective altruists can have within government organizations,» Matheny told an effective altruism forum in 2017, before going on to explain how even «fairly junior positions» can «wield incredible influence.»
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Jason Matheny is an ex-appointee from former President Joe Biden’s administration, where he served in multiple roles between 2021 and 2022. (Tannen Maury/AFP via Getty Images)
Matheny went on to explain the need for «influence» on the «outside» in the form of contractors working for government agencies specialized in fields like biology and chemistry along with experts at various think tanks.
«That’s another way you can have an influence on the government,» Matheny said.
Matheny advanced the philosophy’s ideals in the Biden White House in his roles as deputy assistant to the president for technology and national security, deputy director for national security in the Office of Science and Technology Policy and coordinator for technology and national security at the National Security Council.
According to reporting by Politico, RAND officials were involved in writing former President Joe Biden’s 2023 executive order «Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.» The order mirrored many effective altruist goals regarding AI, such as the idea that «harnessing AI for good and realizing its myriad benefits requires mitigating its substantial risks.»
However, a RAND spokesperson told Fox News Digital that Matheny had «no role» crafting the Biden EO, but said its «researchers did provide technical expertise and analysis to inform the EO in response to requests from policymakers.»
The order read that «responsible AI use has the potential to help solve urgent challenges while making our world more prosperous, productive, innovative, and secure. At the same time, irresponsible use could exacerbate societal harms such as fraud, discrimination, bias, and disinformation; displace and disempower workers; stifle competition; and pose risks to national security.»
President Trump has made AI dominance a key part of his agenda. (Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP)
Its solution was to increase regulations on the development of AI and add new government reporting requirements for companies developing the technology. For many in the industry, this was seen as an example of government overreach that stifled innovation and hurt the U.S.’s ability to compete with countries like China.
The order has since been revoked by Trump’s AI order, which was signed in the first few days of his second administration. However, as head of RAND, a public policy and research advising group, Matheny and RAND have continued to push their vision for AI regulation and warn about the potential pitfalls.
RAND has posted on social media in recent months warning that AI will «fundamentally reshape the economics of cybersecurity» and that the «growing use of AI chatbots for mental health support means society is ‘deploying pseudo-therapists at an unprecedented scale.’»
Semafor reported earlier this year that the Trump administration was butting heads with Anthropic, a top artificial intelligence company with ties to the EA movement and the Biden administration, on AI policy.
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«It’s hard to tell a clean story of every single actor involved, but at the heart, the Doomerism community that Jason’s really at the heart of, what they are really concerned with is they truly believe about a runaway super-intelligent model that takes over the world like a Terminator scenario,» the former DOD official told Fox News Digital, adding that the fear of Effective Altruists that AI is an «existential threat» has led to their push that is «restrictive» to the «growth of the technology.»
«With respect to the Trump administration’s AI policies, much RAND analysis is focused on key parts of the President’s AI Action Plan, including analysis we’ve done on AI evaluations, secure data centers, energy options for AI, cybersecurity and biosecurity,» the RAND spokesperson said.
«Mr. Matheny appreciates that the Trump Administration may have different views than the prior administration on AI policy,» the spokesperson continued. «He remains committed, along with RAND, to contributing expertise and analysis to helping the Trump Administration shape policies to advance the United States’ interests.»
artificial intelligence,joe biden,donald trump
INTERNACIONAL
El régimen de Corea del Norte se sumó a Rusia y respaldó la elección del nuevo líder supremo de Irán, Mojtaba Khamenei
Las autoridades de la dictadura norcoreana expresaron este miércoles su apoyo a la elección del nuevo líder supremo de Irán, Mojtaba Khamenei, tras la muerte de su padre, Ali Khamenei, durante el primer día de los bombardeos de Estados Unidos e Israel a Teherán.
Un portavoz del Ministerio de Exteriores de Corea del Norte afirmó que, “ante el reciente anuncio oficial de la Asamblea de Expertos iraní”, Pyongyang respalda “el derecho y la libertad del pueblo iraní de elegir a su propio líder supremo”, según recogió la agencia estatal KCNA.
El portavoz manifestó además su “profunda preocupación” y condenó enérgicamente lo que calificó como agresión “ilegal” por parte de las fuerzas estadounidenses e israelíes, a quienes acusó de “socavar los cimientos de la paz y la seguridad regionales, y aumentar la inestabilidad en el panorama internacional”.
En ese sentido, el funcionario del régimen liderado por Kim Jong-Un señaló que “todas las formas de amenazas retóricas y acciones militares que socaven el sistema político y la integridad territorial del país en cuestión, interfieran en sus asuntos internos y aboguen abiertamente por el derrocamiento son inaceptables bajo cualquier circunstancia y deben ser condenadas y rechazadas”.
La semana pasada, Corea del Norte calificó los ataques militares de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán como “un acto de agresión totalmente ilegal” y “la forma más despreciable de violación de la soberanía”, en medio del estancamiento de las conversaciones nucleares indirectas entre Washington y Teherán.
Pyongyang y Teherán mantienen una relación histórica de cooperación en materia de defensa y tecnología militar, y el conflicto en Medio Oriente podría reforzar la postura norcoreana de que su arsenal nuclear es fundamental para garantizar la supervivencia del régimen.
Entre otras personalidades internacionales que apoyaron la asunción política de Mojtaba Khamenei se encontró el líder del movimiento hutí de Yemen, Abdelmalek al Hutí, quien calificó el lunes el nombramiento como “una bofetada enorme” para Estados Unidos e Israel.
En una carta de felicitación publicada por medios hutíes, Al Hutí elogió la transición de liderazgo en Irán como una victoria para la Revolución Islámica. “Esta exitosa elección fortalece los cimientos del sistema islámico y asesta una bofetada a los tiranos de esta era: Estados Unidos e Israel”, expresó el líder hutí.
A su vez, enmarcó la resiliencia de Irán como parte de una lucha más amplia contra “el plan sionista para cambiar Medio Oriente” y añadió que “la firmeza y la resistencia eficaz de Irán contra la agresión conducirán a la victoria”. El politburó hutí elogió el nombramiento como “una nueva victoria para la Revolución Islámica” y celebró la sucesión como “un golpe rotundo” para los adversarios de Irán.
El comunicado subrayó “la fe, la sabiduría y el coraje” de Mojtaba Khamenei y expresó confianza en que su liderazgo fortalecerá el papel de Irán en la lucha contra la “agresión estadounidense-israelí” y la “arrogancia global”. La transición marca la primera sucesión hereditaria en la historia de la República Islámica.
El presidente de Rusia, Vladimir Putin, también expresó el apoyo “inquebrantable” de su país a Irán tras la elección de Mojtaba como sucesor en el liderazgo supremo iraní.
“Rusia ha sido y seguirá siendo un socio fiable de la República Islámica. Le deseo éxito en las tareas difíciles que enfrenta”, señaló Putin en su mensaje de felicitación difundido por la Presidencia rusa. El mandatario reafirmó la solidaridad de Moscú con Teherán y sus “amigos iraníes”.
Putin subrayó que el nuevo mandato requiere “gran coraje y dedicación” en un contexto de agresión armada. “Confío en que continuará con honor la labor de su padre y que unirá al pueblo iraní durante estas duras pruebas”, concluyó el presidente ruso.
La Asamblea de Expertos, compuesta por 88 miembros, eligió a Khamenei como sucesor, respaldado por autoridades políticas, parlamentarias y militares de Irán, que defendieron la designación como una medida para garantizar la estabilidad del país en el contexto de la guerra con Estados Unidos e Israel.
(Con información EFE)
defence,domestic politics
INTERNACIONAL
US strike on key Iran oil hub would fit Trump’s ‘energy dominance doctrine,’ expert says
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Kharg Island, which handles the bulk of Iran’s crude exports and was once floated by President Donald Trump as a potential target could spark broader regional instability and attacks on energy infrastructure if struck by the U.S., a leading energy security expert has warned.
Reports indicate the Trump administration is weighing options that could include a direct attack on Kharg Island.
Discussing the possibility of boots on the ground amid Operation Epic Fury on «The Claman Countdown,» retired Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt also told Liz Claman striking Kharg could be in the «offing.»
«I don’t think a significant number of boots on the ground, other than the chance of an assault on Kharg Island, is in the offing,» he said March 9.
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The Kharg Island Oil Terminal brings Iranian oil to the world market. The oil terminal is the world’s largest open oil terminal, with 95% of Iran’s crude oil exports coming through it. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Trump’s interest in the island dates back to a 1988 interview in which he reportedly suggested targeting Kharg in response to Iranian aggression, according to reports.
«I’d be harsh on Iran. They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look like a bunch of fools,» Trump said. «One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.»
Sara Vakhshouri, a global energy analyst, said striking Kharg aligns squarely with Washington’s «energy dominance» doctrine and spoke as U.S. and Israeli military action in Iran rattles energy markets and disrupts oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
«Kharg currently acts as a strategic restraint point in the conflict,» Vakhshouri, founder and president of SVB Energy International, told Fox News Digital.
«Interrupting Iran’s main export terminal would likely trigger a major oil price spike, market instability and regional retaliation against energy infrastructure.»
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Reports indicate President Donald Trump’s administration is considering a direct attack on Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90% of Iranian oil exports near Strait of Hormuz. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Kharg’s significance is not only tactical but strategic, she added, arguing that it fits squarely within Trump’s long-touted doctrine.
The policy, central to Trump’s first term, prioritized maximizing U.S. oil and gas production, expanding exports and leveraging U.S. energy strength as a geopolitical tool.
«But when we talk about Kharg, the most important factor is that it fits within the U.S. energy dominance concept,» Vakhshouri said, suggesting that holding the island in reserve as a pressure point — rather than immediately striking it — may be a more strategic option.
Kharg sits in the northern Persian Gulf, roughly 15 miles off Iran’s mainland. Tankers leaving the terminal pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow choke point that handles about one-fifth of global oil trade.
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President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before departing Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., March 1, 2026. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)
Around 90% to 95% of Iran’s crude and petroleum exports pass through Kharg, making it the regime’s primary oil revenue hub.
«Roughly 15 to 20 million barrels may be in storage, with around 1.5 to 3 million barrels per day exported through the terminal during the sanctions, with export capacity up to 5 million barrels per day,» Vakhshouri said.
«If the export capability from Kharg were lost, this restraint could diminish, shifting the risk toward further strikes on regional energy facilities and, more importantly, prolonged disruption of oil flows and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz,» she warned.
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«Putting a price ceiling on such a scenario would depend largely on Iran’s retaliatory actions,» Vakhshouri added.
«The certain outcome, however, would be prolonged volatility and uncertainty in the market, driven by fears of further retaliation or an extended cycle of disruption.»
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
war with iran,iran,middle east,donald trump,wars,energy,geopolitics
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Senate Democrats are preparing a series of war powers votes aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military operations against Iran — and forcing the administration to publicly defend its actions.
Several Senate Democrats filed war powers resolutions last week meant to handcuff Trump and his continued conflict in the Middle East. It’s a power play by the group, who say the administration has not shown enough evidence that the U.S. should have struck Iran in the first place, much less continue fighting in the region.
Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., collectively filed five war powers resolutions last week, and they’re joined by Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Tim Kaine, D-Va. Kaine has filed resolution after resolution to curb Trump’s war authority since he took office for his second term.
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Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and five other Senate Democrats are planning to dominate the Senate floor with war powers votes, unless Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly testify on the war in Iran. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Those resolutions, barring an official slate of hearings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, could hit the Senate next week and grind down floor time.
«This Congress should be focused on the biggest military action since the Afghanistan war, and we’re not even holding hearings on that,» Booker told Fox News Digital.
Murphy said that the resolutions could hit the Senate floor as soon as next week, and warned that if hearings are set in motion, Democrats would be able to «call up a vote every day on war powers and force at least a short debate and vote every day.»
«There’s no excuse to hide what the administration is doing from the public,» Murphy said.
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Senate Democrats are planning to grind the Senate to a halt unless Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio testify publicly on the war in Iran. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
While the group wouldn’t reveal exactly what their gridlock-inducing floor strategy would look like, they contended that the chairs of the Senate Armed Services and Senate Foreign Relations committees had already requested that Rubio and Hegseth testify.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, R-Idaho, wouldn’t say whether he had requested Rubio to appear before his panel but blamed Senate Democrats for helping the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
«You’ll notice the Democrats are the only entity on this planet who are helping the IRGC,» Risch told Fox News Digital, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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Sen. James Risch, Republican from Idaho, speaks to reporters following the weekly Senate Republicans policy luncheon, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 28, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
The group argued that Rubio and Hegseth should make the case for the war in Iran to the public and that closed-door, classified briefings on the matter weren’t enough to convince them that the war was necessary.
«I was absolutely not convinced. In fact, nothing was offered to show me that we were under imminent attack,» Baldwin said. «That we were under imminent attack, or that it was reasonable to believe that we were at risk — and that’s what would trigger the president’s authority to use military force without coming to Congress first.»
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged that Democrats’ strategy would eat away at floor time but cautioned that «we’ll see how the next few days in the conflict go.»
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«I’m sure there’ll be some decisions made around that, but maybe that’ll affect whether or not they try to trigger all those,» Thune said.
Thune said that «there always are» hearings and noted that the Senate Armed Services Committee would be holding hearings soon on the annual National Defense Authorization Act.
«So they’re going to have all those folks coming through on a fairly routine basis anyway, and I’m sure this will be a subject of discussion,» Thune said.
politics,senate,democrats senate,war with iran,john thune,marco rubio,pete hegseth
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