Trump expressed support for Flock Safety's AI license plate recognition cameras while responding to reporters on Air Force One after returning from Ireland, stating, "I do like them a bit," citing benefits for law enforcement. Just the day before, he had said his position was "under study" and would be announced in a few weeks, but he has now revealed his stance early.

Flock Safety's license plate recognition system currently covers over 120,000 locations across 49 states in the U.S., partnering with thousands of local governments and police departments. The cameras automatically compare license plates against databases of stolen vehicles, Amber Alerts, and missing persons using AI. The company claims to have assisted in solving over 1 million cases and helped recover more than 10,000 missing persons.

Controversy is escalating: This year, several police officers in Georgia have been prosecuted or fired for using Flock system data to track and surveil ex-partners or lovers. An investigation by The Washington Post revealed multiple similar "abuse of power tracking" cases across the U.S.; Senate Commerce Committee Chairman, Republican Senator Josh Hawley, formally launched an investigation into Flock and its competitors in August, demanding the company clarify who can access owner data, how long data is retained, and whether information is shared with immigration enforcement agencies.

There are clear divisions within the party: Republican Congressman Tim Burchett publicly opposes using federal tax dollars to fund local installations of Flock cameras, while independent Senator Bernie Sanders has directly called for a complete ban on the technology. Meanwhile, several cities that previously purchased Flock equipment have begun to suspend or withdraw contracts due to privacy concerns and fears that the federal government could use this to track undocumented immigrants.

Under pressure, Flock CEO Garrett Langley has not backed down, advocating for "regulation over prohibition" and proposing to Congress measures including reducing data retention periods to one week and establishing accountability mechanisms for officers who improperly access data, attempting to exchange self-regulation for continued expansion.

On the capital front, Flock Safety, led by Andreessen Horowitz, completed a new round of financing of $275 million in March 2025, reaching a valuation of $7.5 billion. Trump's public endorsement is seen as a crucial political backing for this unicorn company, which heavily relies on government contracts for expansion. If the federal level clearly does not impose a ban, Flock's bargaining power in the municipal procurement market across the U.S. and contract renewal certainty will further increase, while privacy advocacy groups like the ACLU and Congress members demanding a ban will continue to face pressure.

Hawley's investigation is still ongoing, and a hearing schedule has not yet been announced; the White House has also not provided a formal arrangement regarding whether a unified regulatory framework will be established at the federal level.

Source: Public Information