President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at promoting artificial intelligence development while tightening the federal government’s approach to AI-related cybersecurity risks. The directive, issued June 2, 2026, calls for faster protection of government systems, greater coordination with industry, and a voluntary process for reviewing advanced AI models before wider release.
The order presents AI as both an economic opportunity and a national security challenge. It argues that the United States should keep leading in AI by reducing what the administration describes as unnecessary regulation while also guarding against cyber threats, theft of intellectual property, and attacks on critical infrastructure. It says the government will work with private companies to modernize systems and deploy advanced tools more quickly.
A large share of the order is focused on government cybersecurity. It directs several agencies to act within 30 days on steps to strengthen defenses for national security systems, Defense Department information systems, and civilian federal networks. The Department of Homeland Security, working through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, is instructed to issue guidance that helps expand cyber defense for civilian agencies and improve access to cybersecurity tools.
The order also calls for the creation of an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse. That effort would be developed in voluntary collaboration with industry and critical infrastructure operators, including groups such as rural hospitals, community banks, and local utilities. The clearinghouse would coordinate vulnerability scanning, validate findings, and help organize remediation and patch distribution.
In another move, the Office of Management and Budget is told to examine federal grant programs for funding that could support developers building advanced AI tools for vulnerability detection. The Office of Personnel Management is also directed to expand hiring pathways for cybersecurity specialists through the United States Tech Force.
The order lays out a new framework for advanced AI models that the government may classify as “covered frontier models” after a classified benchmarking process. That benchmark would assess the cyber capabilities of AI systems and help determine which models fall under the order’s special handling rules.
Under the framework, AI developers could voluntarily engage the federal government to determine whether a model under development meets that threshold. If a model is designated as covered, developers could give the government access for up to 30 days before the model is released to other trusted partners. The administration says the purpose is to support secure innovation and help strengthen cybersecurity for critical infrastructure.
The order emphasizes that this framework is voluntary. It specifically says it should not be interpreted as creating any mandatory licensing, preclearance, or permit requirement for developing, publishing, releasing, or distributing new AI models.
The order also directs the attorney general to prioritize enforcement of federal laws against people who use AI to unlawfully access or damage computer systems, including cases involving unauthorized access, data theft, or fraud.
Taken together, the directive reflects the administration’s effort to pair an industry-friendly stance on AI development with a stronger focus on cyber defense. It also marks another step in the White House’s attempt to define how the federal government will handle frontier AI systems as they become more capable and more closely tied to national security concerns.