Trump Rules Out Scott Bessent for AI Czar; White House Search Continues

# What happened President Trump publicly rejected making Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the administration's next AI czar. The announcement follows the March 2026 departure of David Sacks, who had served as the prior AI-and-crypto czar as a special government employee after being named in December 2024.

Trump's statement said Bessent "will not be going to be Super Intelligence (SI) Czar," adding that Bessent doesn't want the job, that he is doing a strong job at Treasury, and that the president wants to keep him there.

# Why this matters The role remains open at a moment when the White House has signaled it will establish an "AI Force" and designate a single official to coordinate policy across agencies. Filling that role matters because it centralizes responsibility for federal engagement with rapidly developing technologies related to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency policy.

# Who's been mentioned Journalists and commentary around the vacancy have named a short list of possible candidates. Two names already in the administration are Michael Kratsios and Scott Kupor. Others reported as part of Trump's tech circle or suggested as potential picks include Marc Andreessen and Safra Catz. The publicly reported advantages and constraints are:

• Scott Kupor: Background in public policy and technology, with private-sector tech experience.

# The context: Sacks's tenure and departure David Sacks had been named to a combined AI-and-cryptocurrency post in December 2024. He served as a special government employee and left the role in March 2026 after reaching his service limit. That departure created the open position the White House is now trying to fill.

# What to watch next

• Senate or interagency clearance: If the pick requires confirmation or interagency coordination, expect a period of vetting and debate over the scope and authority of the position.
• Policy signals: Any nominee's background (regulatory posture, industry ties, technical experience) will indicate how the administration plans to balance innovation, industry needs, and potential limits on technology.

# Bottom line Scott Bessent will remain Treasury Secretary. The administration still needs to pick a new AI czar and set up the reported AI Force. A mix of in-house officials and private-sector figures has been suggested, but no official choice has been announced.