Emerging Tech
Trump signs 2 orders to prepare the US for a quantum future
The long-awaited executive actions aim to protect current infrastructure from a fault-tolerant quantum computer while accelerating U.S. scientific research with quantum technology capabilities.
Exclusive
Emerging Tech
White House expected to direct intelligence agencies to protect quantum research from foreign threats
The executive order is expected this week and tasks the departments of Defense and Energy to build and host a quantum computer for scientific discovery.
People
Intelligence director hearing cancelled as Trump pushes for controversial voter bill
The development guarantees that Bill Pulte — whose selection to temporarily lead the office derailed a recent FISA vote — would start as acting national intelligence director on Friday.
Artificial Intelligence
Industry and academia call on administration to free Anthropic’s AI model
Over 30 industry and academic professionals signed a letter to the Trump administration asking it to lift export controls, citing international competition and patches to network vulnerabilities.
People
CISA sees leadership shakeup after infrastructure security chief moves to ONCD
The personnel moves come as CISA prepares to hire hundreds of new employees following a year of layoffs, buyouts and internal restructuring.
Policy
House vote puts Section 702 on brink of historic lapse amid fight over acting spy chief
Trump’s plan to nominate Jay Clayton as permanent top spy may ease Democrats’ concerns, but lawmakers remain at odds over whether Bill Pulte will lead the intelligence community during the transition.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Lack of White House guidance has complicated agency Mythos adoption, people familiar say
Agency tech leaders say they don’t have clear direction from the White House on how to access and implement Anthropic’s cyber-focused AI model for their networks.
Artificial Intelligence
Warren seeks admin leadership to testify on AI policy
The Senate Banking Committee’s ranking member criticized the lack of administration officials asked to testify at an upcoming hearing on AI and the American Dream.
Artificial Intelligence
Trump memo pushes national security agencies to move faster on AI
The directive calls for deeper partnerships with AI companies while directing agencies to guard frontier models and the data centers that power them from foreign adversaries.
People
Trump signs order moving thousands of federal employees into Schedule F
Roughly 8,000 career federal employees were stripped of their civil service protections Wednesday, making them effectively at-will employees.
Policy
EPA’s research efforts are swayed by administration priorities, official says
The Environmental Protection Agency’s formerly independent research office was replaced last year by a new unit housed within the agency’s Office of the Administrator.
People
Trump to soon nominate CISA head, DHS secretary says
Markwayne Mullin said a nominee to lead the cyber agency is coming soon, even as questions remain over whether an IBM security executive remains a leading candidate.
Breaking News
Artificial Intelligence
Trump signs AI executive order after postponement last month
The order encourages developers of advanced AI to grant the U.S. and certain critical infrastructure operators 30 days of pre-release model access. Earlier drafts had set 90 days of early access.
People
Top White House cyber policy official to soon depart
Alexandra Seymour currently serves as principal deputy assistant national cyber director for policy in the Office of the National Cyber Director.
Exclusive
Digital Government
The White House is ordering agencies to place its new app on all employees’ government phones
The newly created, often overtly political app places the Trump administration into unprecedented and “dangerous” territory, IT experts say.
Breaking News
Artificial Intelligence
White House postpones signing of AI executive order
The order is expected to establish a voluntary framework for the government to view AI models ahead of release.
Cybersecurity
Draft executive order would set deadlines for digital signature and key quantum encryption
The developing order on post-quantum cryptography sets rigid deadlines for quantum-resistant cryptography updates, underscoring that contractors need to migrate to certain standards by 2030.
Artificial Intelligence
Anticipated executive order could give NSA a role in voluntary AI model testing
The order, which is expected this week, comes as the Trump administration grapples with the national security implications of advanced cyber-focused AI models like Anthropic’s Mythos.
Artificial Intelligence
US tech official calls for ‘transformational’ use of AI in scientific discovery
Chief Technology Officer Ethan Klein said deploying AI agents across workflows will enhance scientific efficiency, which is particularly critical “because that underpins every one of these technologies that we're looking to develop.”
Cybersecurity