President Donald J. Trump has signed two Executive Orders aimed at cementing American leadership in the quantum era. Together with their accompanying Fact Sheets, the directives lay out a strategy designed to protect the nation from advanced cryptographic attacks while simultaneously encouraging commercial and scientific quantum innovation.
Here is a breakdown of key provisions in the newly released directives.
1. Defensive Shield: Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration
The first Executive Order 14412, “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks,” acknowledges the immediate threat of “harvest now, decrypt later” operations by foreign adversaries. It establishes a strict, legally mandated timeline for federal agencies to transition to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-approved Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC).
Key Directives & Timelines:
- The Mandate: Lead responsibilities fall on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National Cyber Director to oversee a nationwide PQC migration.
- Personnel: Every federal agency must designate a dedicated PQC migration lead within 30 days.
- The Cut-Off Dates: Agencies must transition all High Value Assets (HVAs) and high-impact systems to PQC for key establishment by December 31, 2030, and for digital signatures by December 31, 2031.
- NIST Pilot Program: The Department of Commerce, via NIST, will launch an internal PQC migration pilot within 180 days, targeting completion by December 31, 2027.
- Supply Chain Transparency: Within 270 days, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CISA will release guidance defining the minimum elements for a cryptographic bill of materials to automate asset risk assessment.
- Advisory Committee: The National Quantum Advisory Committee (NQIAC) was first established as part of the original Nation Quantum Initiative Act in 2018 and lapsed after that act expired. This committee is now being reinstated to provide recommendations to the government for stimulating the development of quantum-enabling technologies in the United States.
- Contractor Compliance: The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council) is directed to publish rules requiring covered federal contractors to meet PQC standards by the end of 2030 and implement enhanced vulnerability disclosure policies.
Industry Impact: This order forces an immediate action across the federal supply chain and standardizing cybersecurity rules for contractors.
2. Offensive Push: Supercharging Quantum Innovation
The second directive, Executive Order 14413 (“Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation”), pivots sharply toward commercialization, domestic manufacturing, and scientific discovery. It recognizes that quantum technologies are on the verge of massive commercial breakthroughs and establishes structural mechanisms to ensure the U.S. leads the pack.
Key Directives & Initiatives:
- The QC-ADDS Effort: The order establishes the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS) initiative. Coordinated by the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), this project aims to build the first quantum computer powerful enough to kickstart a new era of scientific discovery. The goal is to deploy at least one such system to a Department of Energy (DOE) facility and make it accessible to the scientific community.
- 5-Year Sensor & Network Plans: Key agencies (Commerce, Energy, NSF, and NASA) must submit 5-year deployment and advancement plans for quantum-enabled sensors and networking. Furthermore, the Secretary of War must prioritize at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects for fielding by September 30, 2028.
- Securing Supply Chains: The Department of Commerce is tasked with analyzing QIST supply chains and encouraging private sector adoption of standards. Additionally, agencies will explore advance market commitments and prize challenges to incentivize domestic development of critical quantum-enabling component technologies.
- Workforce Development: To combat talent shortages, the Office of Personnel Management will create a QIST recruitment strategy featuring special pay rates. Concurrently, the NSF will establish a network of National QIST Workforce Development Institutes.
- Counterintelligence Expansion: The FBI, along with partner intelligence agencies, will expand the Quantum Information Science and Technology Counterintelligence Protection Team (QCPT) to protect domestic academic and industrial research from foreign espionage.
The full text of the Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks Executive Order can be accessed here and the associated fact sheet for this directive can be seen here. The full text of the Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation Executive Order is available here and the associated fact sheet is available here.
June 22, 2026