CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) - U.S. Government Actions On Tech

 

Tech Update U.S. Government Actions On Tech The Trump administration is continuing to overhaul tech policy by rolling back regulations, renegotiating industrial priorities, and using trade tools to regain strategic leverage. Key developments include: Cybersecurity Overhaul – ​​​​​​A new executive order scrapped Biden-era mandates on software attestations, zero trust, AI-for-cyber pilots, and PQC timelines, restoring discretion to agencies. NIST frameworks remain voluntary, while new efforts prioritize encryption upgrades, BGP security, and limiting cyber sanctions to foreign actors.​​​​​​ Rare-Earth Deal & Export Control Reframing – The United States secured a 90-day commitment from China to resume rare-earth and magnet exports, resolving weeks of supply-chain disruptions. In return, Washington offered selective tariff relief and signaled a willingness to ease recent export curbs on chip design tools, jet engine parts, and nuclear materials. Crypto Deregulation Momentum – The SEC withdrew 14 Gensler-era rule proposals, including DeFi platform reclassifications and tightened custody requirements. The agency is pivoting from enforcement to a responsible innovation approach backed by the administration. BEAD Program Reboot – NTIA issued a new policy notice stripping Biden-era labor, climate, and rate-regulation rules from the $42.5B broadband program. It restores a tech-neutral approach to grant selection, reruns grant rounds, and introduces a permitting tool to cut NEPA delays. Semiconductor Realignment – The Commerce Department is renegotiating CHIPS Act awards it deems overly generous, signaling possible trims or cancellations. The Commerce Department also extended a 25% tariff exemption on Chinese-made chips while weighing new sector-specific duties under a national security probe.​​​​ World News Highlights from @CSIS_Tech EU unveils global digital strategy to expand tech alliances​​​​​ The strategy deepens ties with partners like Japan, South Korea, and India through joint projects and a new Digital Partnership Network, while notably sidelining the U.S. and China to assert greater strategic autonomy. UAE’s Khazna partners with NVIDIA to build AI-ready mega data centers across MEA​​​​ The partnership will deploy GPU-accelerated facilities in the UAE and six other countries, scaling to 1GW of capacity and anchoring a new UAE-US AI campus backed by Trump’s recent visit. Societe Generale launches first dollar-pegged stablecoin by a major bank The USDCV token will run on Ethereum and Solana, with BNY Mellon as custodian, marking a push to bring stablecoins into the regulated banking mainstream under EU MiCA rules. Orange partners with Eutelsat OneWeb for global LEO satellite connectivity The deal will combine OneWeb’s satellite coverage with Orange’s terrestrial networks to expand enterprise and backhaul services across Africa, the Middle East, and remote regions worldwide. Danish cities drop Microsoft amid Trump-era concerns over U.S. Big Tech Copenhagen and Aarhus are replacing Microsoft systems with European alternatives, citing monopoly risks, digital sovereignty, and geopolitical uncertainty tied to Trump’s return. CSIS in the News Taylar Rajic quoted in Eastern Europe’s Cyber Reckoning: Russia’s Digital Threat Is Forcing a Strategic Shift (Inkstick Media). Notable Reports Countering AI Chip Smuggling Has Become a National Security Priority By the Center for New American Security Protecting the American public from crypto risks and harms By Brookings Tech Update is a product of the CSIS Strategic Technologies Program. Follow us on X and LinkedIn for more updates. For direct inquiries, email Matt Pearl at mpearl@csis.org.