Trump Signs Sweeping Quantum Executive Orders
The two orders strengthen cybersecurity safeguards and coordinate government investment.
President Trump signed two long-awaited executive orders on Monday focused on quantum technology, a focus area for the administration that has often taken a back seat to AI. The first order, whose draft has been circulating for months, encourages different agencies to invest in research, including developing a government-hosted quantum computer and coordinating public-private partnerships. The second is focused on building safeguards against cryptographic attacks as quantum capabilities accelerate.
The signing comes on the heels of the White House’s AI-focused executive order, which also built up cybersecurity protections while ensuring that the United States remains a technological leader. “Leadership in quantum is not dissimilar to being able to be the leader in the world’s cutting-edge large language model,” said VJ Sahi, a partner at the strategic advisory firm Clark Street Associates. “This administration in particular is very attuned to the optics of wanting to be in that leadership position.”
The two orders are the latest developments in the Trump administration’s efforts to boost quantum technology. In May, the Commerce Department announced $2 billion in grants that included the government taking equity stakes in quantum-computing companies.