Trump signs executive order to accelerate US quantum computing strategy

President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order aimed at accelerating U.S. leadership in quantum technologies, launching a coordinated national effort to develop next-generation quantum computing, sensing and networking capabilities while strengthening the nation's preparedness for the security implications of the technology.

The order updates the National Quantum Strategy and directs federal agencies to work alongside industry and academia to accelerate commercialization, strengthen domestic supply chains and expand the U.S. quantum workforce. It also establishes an ambitious initiative to develop the first quantum computer capable of enabling transformative scientific discovery beyond the capabilities of today's classical supercomputers.

While much of the order focuses on scientific research and economic competitiveness, several provisions have direct implications for cybersecurity.

The Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will also evaluate how advances in commercial quantum computing could affect U.S. national security, with particular attention to the nation's migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC). As quantum computing advances, experts have warned that sufficiently powerful systems could eventually break widely deployed public-key encryption algorithms that underpin digital identities, secure communications and financial transactions.

The executive order also expands the government's Quantum Counterintelligence Protection Team, directs agencies to strengthen protections against cyber espionage targeting quantum research and manufacturing, and calls for closer collaboration with international allies to secure trusted quantum supply chains and prevent adversarial nations from acquiring sensitive technologies.

Beyond computing, the administration is directing the Departments of Commerce, Defense and Energy, along with NASA, to develop five-year plans for deploying quantum-enabled sensors and networking technologies. The Defense Department has been tasked with identifying priority quantum sensing projects that can be fielded over the next several years, while the Department of Energy will explore quantum networking to support distributed quantum computing.

Recognizing that workforce shortages could become a limiting factor, the administration is also calling for the expansion of quantum education through registered apprenticeships, new credentialing programs and the creation of National Quantum Workforce Development Institutes. Additional initiatives focus on growing domestic manufacturing capabilities for quantum components and strengthening supply chain resilience.

The order builds on the National Quantum Initiative Act, signed during President Trump's first administration in 2018, which established the federal government's first coordinated strategy for quantum research and development. According to the White House, the administration has invested more than $625 million in national quantum research institutes in partnership with industry and academia and views quantum technologies as critical to maintaining U.S. technological leadership.

The executive order underscores the federal government's growing focus on quantum technology as both a national security priority and a strategic technology race. While quantum computers capable of breaking today's widely used encryption standards are still years away, the order adds momentum to ongoing efforts to prepare government and industry for the transition to post-quantum cryptography.

For security leaders, the directive reinforces the importance of assessing cryptographic assets, building cryptographic agility into security programs and planning for the eventual migration to NIST-standardized post-quantum algorithms. Organizations have been urged to begin that work now, given the complexity and time required to replace cryptographic systems across large enterprise environments.