President Trump has ordered the development of a quantum computer to ensure that the United States maintains a strategic technical advantage, accompanied by a nationwide migration to post-quantum cryptography to protect sensitive data. In an executive order signed Monday, Trump directed various federal agencies to establish a national program to deliver a quantum computer aimed at driving scientific discoveries and keeping the US at the forefront of technology.

The order specifically calls for "the first ever quantum computer powerful enough to initiate the era of quantum-enabled scientific discovery and accelerate quantum capabilities for commercial applications." Trump has directed the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Michael Kratsios, to coordinate the effort across the Departments of Energy, Defense, Commerce, and the Intelligence Community, as well as with the broader industry and research communities.

The program has been designated Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science (QC-ADDS). The intent is to deliver at least one such computer to a Department of Energy facility and make it available to the scientific community. Kratsios told reporters that the administration believes this goal can be achieved by 2028, with at least one fully operational quantum system running by the time Trump leaves office.

This represents a bold claim, as quantum computers have been promised as just around the corner for decades without materializing. Quantum computing faces significant technical challenges, primarily the error correction problem. Quantum bits, or qubits, are extremely sensitive to noise and easily lose their quantum properties—such as superposition and entanglement—through environmental interference. Current quantum systems also lack the necessary scale to perform useful work. The first systems featuring more than 1,000 qubits were unveiled a couple of years ago, and an Intel-backed startup called QuantWare claims it has technology to deliver hardware with up to 10,000 qubits by 2028. However, systems capable of useful work are expected to require hundreds of thousands or even millions of qubits.

The executive order contains no mention of budget or estimated development costs. However, The Next Platform reported last month that the Trump administration intends to distribute more than $2 billion to various companies for quantum research, plus $1.375 billion to GlobalFoundries and IBM to develop quantum foundries.

In anticipation of practical quantum computing becoming reality, Trump also orders federal agencies to lead a nationwide migration to post-quantum cryptography. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security will deliver guidance to other agencies on transitioning to quantum-resistant encryption. The administration expects "high value assets for certain uses" to be in place by 2030 or 2031, depending on the use case, with a pilot program to showcase a successful migration expected next year.

Post-quantum cryptography involves developing new encryption methods designed to resist attacks from quantum computers, which may be able to break existing encryption algorithms used to protect sensitive data and communications. Under the order, the administration will help critical infrastructure owners adopt the same protections to safeguard power grids, water systems, and transportation networks. The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council, which coordinates government procurement policy, will require contractors to meet specified Federal cybersecurity standards by the end of 2030.

Regarding program costs, a White House spokesperson stated that the agencies involved can use existing funding and coordinate plans with the Office of Management and Budget on how to ultimately fund these projects.