In his first year back in the White House, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders (EOs) shaping federal technology policy across artificial intelligence (AI), digital finance, cybersecurity, and drones.
Here are some of Trump’s most consequential tech-focused executive orders.
AI initiatives
Trump moved quickly to establish a federal agenda on AI, signing a series of orders aimed at guiding research, development, and policy across government agencies.
Kicking off his AI push, Trump signed his first AI EO on Jan. 23 aimed at removing barriers to American leadership in the technology. The order directed federal agencies to pursue a national AI strategy and begin laying the groundwork for future federal action on AI governance. Agencies were tasked with developing AI action plans coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Office of Management and Budget, and senior White House advisers.
On July 23, Trump signed another order promoting the export of the American AI technology stack. The order aims to preserve and extend U.S. leadership in AI by supporting the global deployment of U.S.-origin AI technologies and reducing international dependence on AI technologies developed by adversaries.
Later in the year, on Nov. 24, Trump issued an order launching the Genesis Mission, a government-wide AI initiative designed to coordinate research across federal agencies and harness federal scientific data for AI-driven discovery.
On Dec. 11, Trump signed another order seeking to establish a unified federal AI policy framework while seeking to limit state-level AI regulation. The order directs the attorney general to create an AI Litigation Task Force to challenge conflicting state laws and instructs federal agencies to consider harmonizing or pre-empting state rules.
The administration also issued AI-related orders focused on education and health care, promoting AI literacy and workforce training in schools and expanding the use of AI-enabled science and data to advance pediatric cancer research.
Drones, drones, drones
AI was not the only technology priority for the administration.
On June 6, Trump signed an order – Unleashing American Drone Dominance – aimed at accelerating the development and integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace. The order prioritizes domestically manufactured drones, expands testing and airspace access, and supports routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.
The order directs the Transportation Department to advance BVLOS rulemaking and incorporates AI by using automated tools for UAS reviews, prioritizing U.S.-made drones at the Pentagon, and identifying military programs that could be replaced by drones to improve efficiency.
That same day Trump signed another order to restore American airspace sovereignty, establishing policy to protect U.S. airspace from unlawful drone use that threatens public safety, critical infrastructure, and military sites, citing risks from criminal, terrorist, and foreign actors while calling for swift action to secure the skies.
Cyber, crypto, and more …
On June 6, Trump issued an EO – Sustaining Select Efforts to Strengthen the Nation’s Cybersecurity – updating federal cybersecurity policy. The order rolled back some Biden-era requirements while maintaining core objectives: secure software development practices, post-quantum cryptography planning, protections for critical infrastructure, and AI-focused vulnerability management.
Trump also signed an EO on Jan. 23 shifting U.S. digital finance policy.
The order revokes prior directives, prohibits the creation of a U.S. central bank digital currency, and directs a task force to develop a federal regulatory framework for digital assets, blockchain technology, and stablecoins. It promotes access to public blockchain networks, the deployment of blockchain software, and the global use of dollar-backed stablecoins, framing digital finance as central to U.S. economic and technological leadership.
On tech procurement, in April 2025, Trump signed an EO aimed at “restoring common sense” to federal purchasing by overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The measure seeks to simplify procurement rules, making it easier and faster for agencies to acquire technology and services as part of broader efforts to modernize federal IT systems.
As the administration closed out its first year, with multiple orders requiring follow-on guidance, rulemaking, or coordination, the stage is set for a 2026 technology agenda focused on implementation and execution across federal technology programs.