Looking Back at the First Trump Administration’s Tech Priorities

Only once in American history has a president served two non-consecutive terms, and President-elect Donald Trump will become the second when he takes the oath of office in January. Trump’s first term came during a time of technological innovation and his administration’s priorities connected technology policy to his White House security goals.

“America built the internet and shared it with the world; now we will do our part to secure and preserve cyberspace for future generations,” Trump said in 2019.

Strengthening Cybersecurity

Four months after taking office, Trump signed Executive Order 13800, titled “Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure.” The order focused on modernizing federal IT infrastructure, collaborating with public and private partners to secure critical infrastructure and fostering international cooperation.

“The private sector is wide open to hacking. Sometimes, by hacking the private sector, you can get into government,” Trump’s cybersecurity advisor during his first administration Rudy Giuliani said about the order. “We can’t do this separately.”

Congress also created the current version of the U.S. top cyber agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), during Trump’s first term. While CISA’s roots trace back to 2007 when it was established as the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Congress passed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Act of 2018 to elevate PPD to CISA, granting it a broader mandate and increased authority. With the law, CISA’s mission expanded to encompass protecting critical infrastructure, securing cyberspace and enhancing emergency communications.

“The men and women of the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will be on the front lines of our cyber defense. They will partner with the private sector, and all levels of government, to defend America’s power grids, banks, telecommunications and other critical parts of our economy,” said Trump on signing the bill. “The cyber battlespace evolves — and it is evolving, and unfortunately, faster than a lot of people want to talk about. But battlespace it is.”

In 2017, Trump elevated United States Cyber Command to a Unified Combatant Command to strengthen cyberspace operations in the cyber battlespace. This elevation streamlined command and control and secured funding for enhanced cyber operations.

Artificial Intelligence Executive Orders

The Trump administration was the first White House to identify artificial intelligence as a national priority when it hosted the “Artificial Intelligence for American Industry” summit in Washington in 2018. The event featured breakout sessions focusing on supporting AI research, removing barriers to AI innovation and developing the American workforce to take full advantage of the benefits of AI.

“Our free market approach to scientific discovery harnesses the combined strengths of government, industry, and academia, and uniquely positions us to leverage this technology for the betterment of our great nation,” former CTO of the United States Michael Kratsios said of the summit in 2018.

Preceding Biden administration’s 2023 executive order by four years, the Trump white House issued the “Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence” order in 2019. The order established a national strategy, the American AI Initiative, to ensure U.S. dominance in AI research, development and deployment. This initiative prioritized innovation, economic competitiveness and national security. The order, in keeping with Trump administration goals, emphasized collaboration between government, industry partners and academia while safeguarding American values and technology through international partnerships.

“Continued American leadership in artificial intelligence is of paramount importance to maintaining the economic and national security of the United States,” Trump said on signing the order.

Trump further supported AI development with the 2020 executive order titled “Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government.” The document outlined principles for ethical AI use within government agencies that is lawful, respects American values and avoids bias.

Just before leaving office in January 2021, the Trump administration established the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office. This office was to act as a central hub for coordinating federal efforts in AI research and development.

“The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office will be integral to the federal government’s AI efforts for many years to come, serving as a central hub for national AI research and policy for the entire U.S. innovation ecosystem,” said Kratsios.

Empowering CIOs

The White House issued the “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers” executive order in May 2018. The document aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal government IT systems by empowering CIOs in government agencies.

The order identified inefficiencies in IT spending, citing modernization as key to reducing costs, improving cybersecurity and delivering better services to the public.

“We’re embracing big change and bold thinking … to transform government and make it the way it should be, at far less cost,” Trump said of the order.

By strengthening the role and authority of CIOs, the order aimed to streamline IT operations and drive modernization efforts in agencies. The order required actions from agency secretaries, including eliminating unnecessary IT management functions, consolidating IT infrastructure across the agency and adopting industry best practices like shared IT solutions.

Securing the IT Supply Chain

The Trump White House identified China as a cybersecurity threat and in 2019, Trump signed the “Securing Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain” executive order. The order addressed vulnerabilities in the technology supply chain that can be exploited by foreign adversaries like China and North Korea. To combat this threat, the order empowered the Department of Commerce to restrict the use of technology deemed a national security risk.

Additionally, the first Trump administration designated Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE as security threats and banned the firms from 5G infrastructure in 2020.

“Both companies have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus, and both companies are broadly subject to Chinese law obligating them to cooperate with the country’s intelligence services,” former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in 2020.

An Emphasis on Space Policy

Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020 on December 20, 2019, establishing the United States Space Force as the sixth military service, headed by General Jay Raymond, who led the U.S. Space Command and Air Force Space Command under Trump’s first administration.

According to the Trump White House, the establishment of Space Force was recognition of space as a critical domain for national security and the increasing threats posed by near-peer competitors like Russia and China. The service was established to protect U.S. interests in space, ensure the safety of satellites and other space assets and maintain U.S. dominance in space technology, the White House said.

Trump also elevated United States Space Command to a unified combatant command as part of the estbalishment of Space Force. “As the newest combatant command, SPACECOM will defend America’s vital interests in space — the next warfighting domain,” Trump said. “It’s all about space.”

The Trump White House also released a memo specifically addressing cybersecurity in space in 2018. The document emphasized the critical role space systems play in national security, economic prosperity and technology advancement. It acknowledges the growing threat of cyberattacks systems like communication, navigation and weather monitoring.

To address this concern, the memorandum outlined principles for cybersecurity space systems, focusing on identifying, protecting, detecting, responding to and recovering from cyber threats. The memo, keeping with the administration’s emphasis on industry empowerment, encourages collaboration between government and industry to share information, develop best practices and ensure a coordinated response to cyberattacks.