On June 23, U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on quantum technology. The first directs federal agencies including the Department of Energy to collaborate with the private sector and academia to deploy a quantum computer with significant scientific value by 2028. At a press briefing, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios stated, „We believe this goal can be achieved by 2028.“ Trump said at the signing ceremony that the United States would make „unprecedented investments“ in its leadership position in quantum science and technology. The second executive order requires that by 2030 or 2031, critical government computing systems be fully migrated to post-quantum cryptography systems to defend against cyberattack threats driven by quantum computers. According to reports from Cailian Press, the order also requires federal agencies to develop five-year deployment plans to advance the application of quantum sensors and quantum networks, and calls for strengthening international cooperation, protecting intellectual property, and securing the quantum industry supply chain.
Before the issuance of these executive orders, the U.S. Department of Commerce last month announced a $2 billion investment in nine quantum computing companies — including IBM’s quantum computing project — through equity investments. Based on the principles of quantum physics, quantum computers can compute certain complex problems far faster than even the most advanced supercomputers today, but they could also crack existing encryption systems, posing a mass cybersecurity threat. A senior White House official said the 2028 research-grade goal aims to serve as a stepping stone toward larger-scale commercial quantum systems, laying the foundation for future quantum computers that can perform real-world tasks for enterprise customers.