Trump's latest executive orders center on Quantum Computing, a growing field that may transform technology while also bringing in new cybersecurity risks.
This week, the White House made progress towards President Trump’s Cyber Strategy, published in March 2026. The third of six policy pillars, ‘Modernize and Secure Federal Government Networks’, declared that the best technologies and cyber practices, like post-quantum cryptography, would be implemented into government security and information networks. Now, quantum technology is the topic of two new executive orders. On June 22nd, 2026 Trump signed “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” and “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks”.
According to the fact sheet, the purpose of these actions is to “supercharge” U.S. innovation and security in quantum technology, by establishing “a national effort to develop the first ever quantum computer powerful enough to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery and accelerate quantum capabilities for commercial applications.” Quantum computing is a growing field promising the next big advancements in technology.
Current computing methods operate on a binary system, storing information ‘bits’ in zeroes and ones. Quantum computing is based on the concept of superposition, a mainstay in quantum physics. In that context, superposition refers to the idea that something can exist in several states simultaneously. In a conversation with ABC news, Daniel Lidar, an engineering professor from the University of Southern California, explained what implications the concept held when applied to computing: “In some sense, this is one computer performing many calculations all at once. In a standard case, you’d need lots of computers performing simultaneous calculations.”
The executive order on Quantum innovation builds on the original cyber strategy that was once criticized for being too vague by detailing actions for federal agencies to support Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST). In order “to solidify the Nation’s position as the world’s QIST superpower and deliver the commercial and research benefits of quantum innovation to the American people”, and “protect sensitive technologies and work with allies to ensure adversaries cannot use QIST to undermine national security”, the order instructs top officials from Commerce, Defense, National Intelligence and the National Science Foundation, among other committees, to update the National Quantum Strategy. The Secretary of Commerce, the Administrator of NASA, the Secretary of Energy, and the Director of NSF are all charged with making different 5-year plans for furthering quantum sensing and networking.
The order also establishes a Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) Effort, a national initiative to create a quantum computer for the Department of Energy facility that may be at least partially accessible to the scientific community. Secretaries of Energy, War, and Commerce, will also collaborate to set up a national center to make the tools and programs needed to correctly evaluate how quantum computing systems perform.
The second executive order on cryptographic attacks hinges on the creation and implementation of post-quantum cryptography (PQC). PQC refers to encryption algorithms or methods that are meant to resist attacks from classical and quantum computers. PQC may be the answer to the threat that quantum computing brings to the current encryption system. In the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the “emergence of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC), which no country has yet to build, threatens the encryption underpinning secure online transactions and communication.” This could be devastating for businesses, but also organizations in critical infrastructure where sensitive information must be encrypted, like healthcare.
The background and policy section of the order brings the threat of futuristic CRQC to today by pointing out the current climate of cyberattacks on the US: “Ongoing cyber activity against our Nation also presents the risk of adversaries collecting United States information now, and decrypting it later once large-scale quantum computers are operational. In light of these threats, the United States must take steps to strengthen cryptographic protections for the Nation’s sensitive data, critical infrastructure, and digital economy.” Historic data breaches like the Salt Typhoon Hack of late 2024, which exposed the cellular metadata of nearly every American, demonstrate the capabilities of nation-state threat actors to collect sensitive data and emphasize the need to be proactive before another breach sneaks under the radar.
The “steps to strengthen cryptographic protections” include coordinating, accelerating, and leading the PQC transition across federal agencies. Leaders in the Office of Management and Budget, Electronic Government, National Security Affairs, and the National Cyber Director will work together to organize the strategy for PQC migration and guarantee harmony with other cybersecurity goals. Top officials in the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are being directed to provide technical guidance to agencies, along with critical infrastructure owners and operators during implementation. CISA’s involvement in the order stands out since the agency was not named in the first executive order. What’s more, the Director of CISA is instructed to help at all stages of PQC migration - but the agency still does not have a permanent director. Initiatives for PQC may rest more on the shoulders of other newly appointed cyber leadership in NSA.
Still, both orders have upcoming milestones, with the first steps having a deadline as soon as 30 days since the order was posted. As these dates approach, some officials are optimistic about the action. Michael Kratsios, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, praised the orders: “Together, these policies will drive transformational growth in existing and entirely new industries, in manufacturing, drug discovery, energy, agriculture, and more quantum breakthroughs mean innovation, economic growth, national security that will benefit the American people for decades to come.” As quantum computing becomes a more attractive frontier, protective policies may indeed be key to upholding secure growth.