President Donald Trump is meeting with Sens. Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn on Monday to discuss tech policy, according to two people familiar with the meeting who were granted anonymity to discuss a private event.
The huddle comes as Cruz, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, is expected to hold a markup next week on a roster of kids’ online safety and artificial intelligence bills.
Blackburn has negotiated with the White House over a possible legislative package that is expected to focus on regulating children’s digital safety. The Tennessee senator has long championed the Kids Online Safety Act, which would restrict the features and platforms minors could access online.
Tech industry representatives and child online safety groups have been involved in discussions about KOSA. Meta said it would drop previous opposition to the bill if it was paired with the App Store Accountability Act, which would require app stores to verify children’s ages, and limited preemption of state AI laws.
The House passed its own version of KOSA late last month without a “duty of care” clause that would require platforms to design features with an eye toward minors’ safety. Without the provision, it faces steep opposition in the Senate.
The White House declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Commerce Committee confirmed the meeting this afternoon.
Punchbowl News first reported details of the meeting.
Cheyenne Haslett and Kelsey Brugger contributed to this report.
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