JUNE 24: U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) (L) watches as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media as they arrive at the U.S. Capitol on June 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. President Trump is visiting Capitol Hill to attend a closed-door luncheon with the Republican Senate Steering Committee to push his SAVE America Act, which would impose strict voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements in federal elections. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/
WASHINGTON (TNND) —Former Trump White House economic adviser Steve Moore says congressional Republicans face a critical test as they work to advance the next phase of President Donald Trump’s agenda, while warning that the United States cannot afford to fall behind China in the race for artificial intelligence.
Moore, chairman of Unleash Prosperity, says Republicans must navigate a narrow Senate majority as they push ahead with a reconciliation package encompassing key parts of the president’s agenda.
Republicans face reconciliation fight
Republicans control the White House and both chambers of Congress, but their Senate majority does not give them the 60 votes generally needed to overcome a filibuster.
“This is another one of these budget collisions that we see so many times in Washington,” Moore said, noting that Republicans have a Senate majority but “don’t have 60 votes.”
That has put a spotlight on thereconciliation process, which can allow qualifying legislation to pass the Senate with a simple majority.
Whether Republicans have enough support within their own ranks to advance the package remains uncertain, Moore said.
He also pointed to the fight over election legislation, saying President Trump feels strongly about advancing election-related reforms. Moore argued that measures such as voter identification and proof-of-citizenship requirements have broad support among Americans.
<a href="https://bitcomme.com/how-israel-taxes-safe-startup-investments/” title=”How Israel taxes SAFE startup investments”>Safer streets boosting the economy
Moore says declining crime can deliver an economic boost to businesses, homeowners and working families as statistics from the first half of the year show drops across several major crime categories.
“You can’t have a functioning economy if people don’t feel safe on the streets and the businesses are being robbed,” Moore said.
He argued that safer communities can encourage investment, improve quality of life and particularly benefit lower-income residents who can bear a disproportionate burden from theft and violent crime.
“You make safer streets and it makes our cities a lot more livable,” he said.
AI race with China is an “Indy 500”
Moore is also warning that America’s technological edge could depend on building the infrastructure necessary to compete with China on artificial intelligence.
“It’s an Indy 500 race between the United States and China,” Moore said. “We need to win this race.”
Moore says that means expanding the data centers and energy infrastructure needed to power AI, despite growing opposition to data center development in some communities.
“We cannot win this race against China and be dominant in the technology realm if we are not building data centers in this country,” Moore said.
Calling data centers “the heartbeat of the American economy,” Moore pointed to Northern Virginia’s massive data center presence as an example of the infrastructure needed to support the digital economy.
As AI development accelerates, Moore says expanding that infrastructure will be critical to keeping the United States ahead of China.
