Trump Administration Issues Quantum Computing Executive Orders

The orders solidify the Trump administration’s quantum policy priorities and build on President Trump’s previous quantum-focused actions, including his signing of the National Quantum Initiative Act in 2018. Both EOs direct extensive interagency coordination among national security and innovation-focused agencies.

The Quantum Innovation EO
As discussed in our prior alert, the Quantum Innovation EO identifies QIST dominance as a priority of the Trump administration. The Quantum Innovation EO outlines various actions to accelerate and mature the domestic QIST ecosystem in conjunction with allies and partner countries. This includes publishing an updated National Quantum Strategy within 180 days, led by Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), which would emphasize commercialization, deployment, quantum-enabling technologies and partnerships with U.S. industry.

Additional key provisions include the following:

Establishing the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science Effort (QC-ADDS)
The APST is responsible for coordinating interagency efforts to develop at least one quantum computer capable of initiating quantum-enabled scientific discovery, delivered to a Department of Energy (DOE) facility and made available to the broader scientific community. DOE must publicly release technical specifications and explore private-sector partnership models.

Quantum Sensing and Networking
The Department of Commerce (DOC), DOE, National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA must each develop five-year plans for quantum sensing and networking applications and hardware.

Domestic Ecosystem and Supply Chains
The DOC is tasked with creating plans to provide continued federal investments—potentially utilizing grants and prize challenges—to de-risk commercial quantum technologies and incentivize commercial development.

Additionally, agencies must develop plans to encourage domestic private-sector development of quantum-enabling component technologies. The Department of War (DoW) must also increase domestic access to QIST-relevant foundry resources and strengthen access to critical supply chains.

Technology Protection and Counterintelligence
Interagency leadership will coordinate security controls that protect critical information. The FBI is directed to expand the Quantum Information Science and Technology Counterintelligence Protection Team (QCPT) to improve protections against adversarial threats, coordinate public outreach and improve threat information sharing with industry stakeholders.

Workforce Development and Retention
The Office of Personnel Management must develop a government-wide QIST recruitment and retention strategy within 90 days, and NSF will develop a network of National QIST Workforce Development Institutes.

The Quantum Innovation EO also requires the government to take steps to ensure that domestic quantum companies can access strategic markets, trusted supply chains and capital from “like-minded” countries, as well as enabling enhanced R&D collaboration across allied and partner countries. This will include harmonizing research security and export control policies with allies.

The Cryptography EO
The Cryptography EO recognizes the potential for large-scale quantum computers under adversarial control to pose “an existential threat” to current public cryptographic systems and promotes policies to protect against quantum-enabled cyber threats.

The order directs sector risk management agencies to work with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to assist critical infrastructure owners and operators in developing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) migration plans. Importantly, by December 31, 2030, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) will require all covered federal contractors to be PQC-compliant. This mandate will effectively compel federal contractors to adopt PQC standards to maintain their contracts. Finally, agencies including the State Department and DoW, are directed to engage foreign governments and industry groups in partner countries to encourage adoption of NIST-standardized PQC algorithms.

Looking Ahead
QIST stakeholders should expect new federal partnership, procurement and grant opportunities; advanced market commitments; access to national user facilities and foundry resources; and increased government engagement on standards. Companies aligned with the Administration’s technology-protection objectives may benefit from enhanced allied market access and collaboration opportunities.

However, the orders also signal increased convergence of export controls, research security requirements, investment screening and restrictions targeting countries of concern. Foreign ownership, control and collaboration relationships will face heightened scrutiny and should be taken into account when preparing for future opportunities.

The authors would like to thank Trade and Policy Specialist Xavier Gillett for his contribution to this article.