In a significant move to bolster national security and resilience, President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at empowering State and local governments in their preparedness efforts across American infrastructure.
The order emphasizes the importance of commonsense approaches and investments made by these entities, arguing that preparedness is most effectively managed at the State, local, and individual levels, backed by a competent and accessible Federal Government.
Citizens, according to the order, stand to benefit directly from local decisions designed to mitigate risks associated with threats such as cyber attacks, wildfires, hurricanes, and space weather.
By allowing States to make informed infrastructure choices, taxpayers will see the benefits of sound investments.
This executive order aims to create a more resilient Nation through risk-informed decisions that enhance infrastructure, communities, and the economy against dynamic global threats.
The order articulates a policy that places a greater emphasis on the roles of State and local governments and individuals in national resilience and preparedness.
By doing so, the administration plans to save lives, secure livelihoods, reduce taxpayer burdens through improved efficiency, and unlock collective prosperity.
Additionally, the President has pledged to streamline his administration’s preparedness operations, simplify government policies, and enable State and local governments to understand and effectively address the needs of their citizens.
In Section 3 of the order, titled “Updating Federal Policy to Save Lives and End the Subsidization of Mismanagement,” several directives are outlined.
Firstly, within 90 days, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), in collaboration with the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and relevant executive agencies, is tasked with publishing a National Resilience Strategy.
This strategy will detail prioritized means of advancing the resilience of the Nation and will be reviewed and revised every four years or as deemed necessary.
In a further move to enhance national security, within 180 days, the APNSA, alongside the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and heads of relevant agencies, will reassess critical infrastructure policies.
This assessment aims to recommend necessary revisions, rescissions, or replacements to enable a more resilient posture by shifting from an all-hazards approach to a risk-informed methodology that emphasizes actionable outcomes.
Notably, this critical infrastructure review will exclude policies related to “misinformation,” “disinformation,” or “malinformation,” ensuring that they are reevaluated under the provisions of Executive Order 14149 of January 20, 2025.
Some of the policies set for review include National Security Memorandum 16 (Strengthening the Security and Resilience of United States Food and Agriculture), National Security Memorandum 22 (Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience), Executive Order 14017 (America’s Supply Chains), and Executive Order 14123 (White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience).
Additionally, there is a directive for the APNSA to examine national continuity policies within the same 180-day period.
The aim is to modernize and streamline national continuity capabilities while ensuring an effective readiness posture compliant with the National Resilience Strategy.
Policies set to be reviewed in this context include Executive Order 13618 (Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions) and Executive Order 13961 (Governance and Integration of Federal Mission Resilience), among others.
Following that, within 240 days of the order, a comprehensive review of national preparedness and response policies will be conducted.
Guided by the reports from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Council, the APNSA will recommend revisions and reframing of the Federal government’s responsibilities.
Policies involved in this review range from Executive Order 12656 (Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities) to Presidential Policy Directive 44 (Enhancing Domestic Incident Response).
Moreover, the plan includes the formulation of a National Risk Register within 240 days, intended to identify and quantify risks to national infrastructure and related systems, informing investment strategies from both the private sector and federal budgets.
The National Risk Register will be subject to reviews every four years to adapt to the evolving landscape of risks.
Moreover, the Federal Government will address the complicated framework of overlapping functions affecting national preparedness and continuity.
Within a year, the Secretary of Homeland Security is tasked with proposing changes to enhance communication and understanding between State, local governments, and Federal officials regarding national preparedness functions.
Section 4 of the order includes general provisions ensuring that the order does not impair the authority granted to any executive department or agency.
It also affirms that it does not create any enforceable rights, thereby limiting its legal implications.
The comprehensive order reflects a proactive approach by the Trump administration to improve national resilience and preparedness while aiming to address the associated complexities across different levels of governance.
By empowering State and local governments with enhanced responsibilities and streamlining federal policies, the administration hopes to create a safer, more resilient America, well-prepared to tackle various imminent risks.
The National Resilience Strategy, along with the proposed reforms in existing policies, signifies a commitment to evolving the national approach to risk management and disaster preparedness.
Overall, this executive order represents a strategic step toward fostering a collaborative ecosystem among federal, state, and local entities to better equip the Nation against potential threats and ensure the safety and efficiency of American infrastructure.
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