Trump signs order to protect GPS

President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order that directs federal agencies to take steps to reduce the disruption of critical infrastructure that relies on positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services like GPS.

The executive order is aimed at strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure that relies on PNT services, including systems involved in transportation, electricity delivery and communications. Officials billed it as the “first-ever” executive order on PNT use.

“The national and economic security of the United States depends on the reliable and efficient functioning of critical infrastructure,” the executive order states.

“Because of the widespread adoption of PNT services, the disruption or manipulation of these services has the potential to adversely affect the national and economic security of the United States. To strengthen national resilience, the Federal Government must foster the responsible use of PNT services by critical infrastructure owners and operators,” it states.

Specifically, the order directs the Department of Commerce to develop so-called PNT profiles that will be used to enable both the public and the private sector to identify risks to networks posed by PNT services and identify “appropriate” PNT services.