Trump signs orders calling for powerful quantum computer, targeting 2028

US President Donald Trump has ordered a push to build a powerful quantum computer by 2028, bolstering US efforts in the global race with China for quantum technology.

U.S. ​President Donald Trump ordered a push on ​Monday to build a ‌powerful quantum ​computer for scientific research and speed efforts to protect government systems from related cyber threats, bolstering U.S. efforts in its race ‌with China for a technology that could upend science and cybersecurity.

"We believe this can happen by 2028," Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said in ‌a call previewing the moves and referring to the quantum computer. Trump signed two ‌executive orders, one of which seeks to protect government computers against quantum computer-fueled cyberattacks by setting a goal of migrating key government computing systems to post-quantum cryptography by 2030 or 2031.

Quantum computers use the laws of ⁠quantum ​physics to process information in ⁠ways that can solve certain complex problems far faster than even today's supercomputers. They could unscramble the encryption ⁠that protects computers from hacking, raising fears of aggressive cyberattacks. The orders underscore the importance the Trump administration ​places on securing U.S. leadership in the quantum race against China - which could fuel ⁠advances in artificial intelligence, materials science and chemistry - while also protecting against the cybersecurity threats posed by the technology.

Last ⁠month, ​the Commerce Department announced it would take $2 billion in equity stakes across nine quantum-computing companies, including a new IBM venture. One of the orders also aims to strengthen ⁠international cooperation on intellectual property protections and supply chain security measures "in light of competitors and adversaries looking ⁠to undermine US ⁠economic and national security," Kratsios said.

Another measure included in the package instructs agencies to develop plans for deploying quantum-enabled sensors and networks in ‌the next ‌five years.