
In this article, Trendline's CEO argues that resilience in volatile political and legal environments comes not from predicting outcomes but from deeply knowing your risks and managing them proactively—treating political uncertainty as a measurable factor, not an unpriced threat. .

In this episode of Trendline Talks, we break down continuing resolutions (CRs): what they are, why they’ve become the default tool to keep the government open, and how they can create real operational risk for the private sector.

President Trump issued an Executive Order 14320, "Promoting the Export of the American AI Technology Stack," establishing the American AI Exports Program to accelerate global deployment of U.S. AI technologies and strengthen U.S. leadership. The program coordinates exports of full-stack AI packages—hardware, software, infrastructure, and services—while using federal financing and diplomatic efforts to counter adversaries. It builds on prior initiatives, including the Biden Administration’s 2024 Economic Diplomacy Action Group (EDAG).

President Trump's Executive Order 14319, "Preventing Woke AI in the Federal Government," establishes a regulatory framework aimed at ensuring what the administration characterizes as "ideological neutrality" in government-procured AI systems, particularly large language models. Trendline provides an overview of the Order and strategic recommendations for federal contractors.

On July 30, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi released guidance clarifying how federal anti-discrimination laws apply to programs—especially those labeled as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—that may result in unlawful discrimination. Trendline provides an overview of DOJ’s guidance and concludes with considerations and strategic recommendations.

In this month’s Trendline Report, we cover DOJ’s Civil Investigative Demands targeting DEI efforts of federal contractors and grant recipients and President Trump’s renewed push to end quarterly financial reporting. We also explore the growing executive talent gap, new federal workforce strategies, and a major antitrust ruling against Google.

In August's Trendline report, we highlight how major policy shifts are colliding: AI executive actions are encouraging innovation, federal enforcement is zeroing in on DEI programs, and new workforce efforts are connecting education directly to employer needs. At the same time, the SEC’s AI task force signals regulators are embracing AI tools, while shareholders—rejecting anti-DEI proposals totaling over $13 trillion—are reaffirming their support for diversity despite changing federal priorities.
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