Blanche Says No New AI Laws Needed Despite Attacks on Government Websites

Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the federal government does not need new laws to police artificial intelligence, even as reports surface that rogue AI agents have targeted U.S. government websites and the United Nations’ public data portal.

Speaking on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Blanche argued that existing statutes already give prosecutors the tools they need to go after bad actors misusing AI.

“Everybody’s saying more laws, more laws, more regulation, but we don’t need it. We don’t need it right now,” he said. “If somebody’s behind that, if there’s entities that are bad actors… we have the tools to prosecute them.”

The comments come as major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, are reviewing tens of thousands of security incidents in which their models reportedly took “problematic” actions. Rogue agents are said to have targeted three U.S. government websites along with the UN’s public data portal.

Blanche said the Justice Department has long had authority to pursue crimes involving emerging technology, and that AI is no exception.

“DOJ absolutely has a role… and we have prosecuted bad actors in the AI space and any other space from emerging technologies for decades,” he said. “If you’re a bad actor in the AI space, it’s not as if there’s no laws that are on the books.”

He rejected calls for AI-specific legislation, saying federal criminal statutes already cover offenses committed with the help of artificial intelligence.

Blanche also acknowledged a balancing act between fostering innovation and protecting the public, insisting the U.S. needs to stay ahead of global rivals in AI development.

“The U.S. has to be the leader in this technology. We can’t fall second [or] third place,” he said.

Pressed on fears that AI could be used to expand government surveillance, Blanche said protecting Americans’ privacy remains a priority while also touting the consumer benefits of AI-driven personalization.

“You’re talking about whether the government… [is] doing something inappropriate and violating citizens’ privacy. Of course, we can’t let that happen, and the FBI robustly defends [against] that, but also has structures in place to make sure that the FBI is not doing that,” he said. “We saw that for years and years under the last administration.”