Trump Orders Quantum Push Aimed at Beating China

President Donald Trump signed two new executive orders on Monday night aimed at accelerating the U.S. quantum computing industry, with the White House setting a goal of fielding a quantum computer with meaningful scientific research capabilities by 2028. The move is being presented as a strategic step to preserve American technological leadership against China, which is viewed as the sector’s main rival.

At the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump said, "We are going to invest in American quantum leadership like never before." The White House said the orders are meant to supercharge innovation in quantum technologies, strengthen national security, and support continued American growth in a critical industry.

One order directs the Pentagon to begin deploying quantum sensors by 2027. Those sensors are expected to help security forces navigate accurately even when GPS signals are jammed or blocked, and later could help identify suspicious underground activity, such as terror tunnels or fortified missile facilities, from space using satellites.

The second order advances the timeline for moving to quantum-resistant encryption to 2031, in order to protect critical infrastructure, including power grids and water facilities, from advanced hackers. The article notes that quantum computers could easily break current standard encryption protecting medical, banking, and government data, and that the U.S. government has already begun channeling billions of dollars to startups and large companies to turn quantum computing into a commercial reality.