Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation
Brief
The June 22, 2026 Executive Order “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” directs a whole‑of‑government campaign to preserve U.S. leadership across quantum computing, sensing, and networking. It creates QC-ADDS — a coordinated national effort to build a quantum computer “at a scale” to enable discovery and economically significant applications, with an explicit goal to deliver at least one such system to a DOE facility and, where possible, provide community access. The Secretary of Energy must publish the technical specifications required for QC-ADDS within 90 days and explore public‑private delivery models within 180 days; a national center for quantum benchmarking and a mechanism for interagency information sharing must be established within 180 days to evaluate system performance.
Why it matters
President Donald J. Trump signed the Executive Order on June 22, 2026 creating the QC-ADDS (Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science) national effort to develop a quantum computer “at a scale” for transformative science and to deliver at least one such machine to a Department of Energy (DOE) facility; the Secretary of Energy must publish required technical specifications within 90 days and explore private-sector partnership models within 180 days.
Key details
- The order sets firm near-term deadlines across agencies: APST must update the National Quantum Strategy within 180 days (with agencies submitting alignment summaries within 30 days of that update); the Secretary of War must identify at least three next‑generation quantum sensor projects within 60 days to be fielded by September 30, 2028.
- Benchmarking, testing, and assessment steps: within 180 days the Secretary of Energy must establish a national center to assess quantum computing performance and the ESIX co-chairs must recommend an interagency information‑sharing mechanism; DNI and the Secretary of War must identify security implications (including post‑quantum cryptography) with a report due within one year and annually thereafter.
- Supply chain and domestic manufacturing actions: Commerce and Energy must produce plans to strengthen QIST supply chains and promote quantum‑enabling components (plans and private‑sector incentive models due in 120–180 days); NSF directed to issue grants for QIST user facilities through the National Quantum and Nanotechnology Infrastructure program.
- Workforce and security provisions: OPM must deliver a government‑wide QIST recruitment/retention strategy within 90 days; the FBI is tasked to propose staffing to expand the Quantum Information Science and Technology Counterintelligence Protection Team (QCPT) and coordinate threat‑sharing (reporting and coordination deadlines noted in sections 7 and 10).
- International coordination: Secretary of State and Commerce must align diplomacy and trade to preserve trusted supply chains, harmonize export controls, and support Pax Silica; Secretary of State to give recommendations within 120 days.