Trump Asked Grok AI About Invading Venezuela. Democrats Want His Chat History
An AI chatbot was consulted about military action, raising questions about security risks, sycophancy and hallucination.
House Democrats have requested that the White House release President Donald Trump's conversations with AI chatbots, specifically focusing on his discussions with Elon Musk's Grok AI about overthrowing Venezuela's former president, Nicolás Maduro. In a joint letter to the president, Rep. Jamie Raskin and Rep. Robert Garcia argue that the president's prompts and responses should be considered public records under the 1978 Presidential Records Act.
They express concerns over ethical and security implications of Trump relying on unsecured, privately operated AI systems for foreign policy decisions. The letter also highlights potential collusion between Musk and Trump, given Grok's known biases and propensity for controversial content. Experts stress that large language models (LLMs), like Grok, can produce biased or fabricated information, which can have serious consequences in military contexts.
The letter also points out that AI models often amplify existing biases, leading to inaccurate or echo-chamber-like answers. Additionally, Grok's training data comes from platforms like X, which are rife with bot farms and right-wing engagement tactics, potentially influencing its responses. The White House has referred inquiries to the Pentagon, which has not yet responded.
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