Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning , Cyberwarfare / Nation-State Attacks , Fraud Management & Cybercrime

How Trump's Victory May Spark Tech and Cyber Policy Shift

Republican Donald Trump's return to the White House in January could bring significant changes to technology and cybersecurity policy in the United States, experts told Information Security Media Group, potentially reshaping federal approaches to artificial intelligence regulation, industry investment and national security against rising digital threats.

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Trump's previous administration spearheaded an antitrust lawsuit against Google with 11 state attorneys general, confronted Chinese technology manufacturers and bolstered national cybersecurity through stronger public-private partnerships. Trump also amplified disinformation about the novel coronavirus pandemic and election integrity, escalated a tech cold war with Beijing and clashed with social media platforms over alleged censorship of conservatives, his supporters and himself.

The incoming administration has an opportunity to maintain U.S. leadership in the global AI race while creating a competitive tax system and advancing key domestic trade, economic and national security objectives, according to Jason Oxman, president and CEO of the tech trade association Information Technology Industry Council. Oxman said in a statement sent to ISMG that ITI is looking forward to working with the next White House "to bring tech's priorities and voice to the table."

Trump's next presidency could have a "chilling effect on the naming and shaming policies" of Russian threat actors that the U.S. intelligence community has increasingly gone after in recent years under President Joe Biden, said Ian Thornton-Trump, a veteran CISO who formerly served with the Military Intelligence Branch of the Canadian Forces.

The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a series of complaints and law enforcement actions targeting Russian threat actors under Biden, including Russian nationals who developed software "designed to illegally remove important personal and financial information from computers" (see: Russian Indicted by US for Developing Redline Infostealer).

The World Cybercrime Index released earlier this year identified Russia as the most significant source of global cybercrime and the top hub for digital threat actors worldwide.

"I can see it going in the opposite direction, though, when it comes to China," Thornton-Trump told ISMG, suggesting the former president could weaponize the office to aggressively target Beijing while focusing less on Iran and the Middle East. He added that Trump's power "might be considerably diminished by the midterm elections" if the Democrats were to flip the Senate in 2026.

Trump could potentially revive his attacks on social media's legal protections once back in office, experts said, potentially reinstating a 2020 executive order targeting Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which shields platforms from liability over user-posted content. The order, revoked by President Joe Biden in May 2021, pressured social media companies to eschew "viewpoint-based speech restrictions."

Any reignited attacks could make it more difficult for federal agencies and the private sector to collaborate in combatting foreign malign influence campaigns, experts suggested. The Department of Homeland Security warned in an October report that ongoing foreign influence campaigns aiming to sow discord among Americans and instill distrust in U.S. democratic processes will likely extend well beyond Election Day (see: DHS Warns Election Security Risks May Persist Into 2025).

The Biden administration has vocally embraced AI while stressing that the technology must be closely monitored for bias and implemented with human oversight. A touchstone for administration policy has been an October 2023 executive order (see: Biden Administration Seeks National Security Edge in AI).

That approach could change, given the Republican presidential platform adopted in July that calls for revoking the Biden AI executive order, stating that a GOP White House would "support AI development rooted in free speech and human flourishing."

Lisa Plaggemier, executive director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance, stressed that cybersecurity "is a bipartisan issue between the Trump and current administration" and added that "the priority of building on cybersecurity remains steady, transcending party lines."

"Every administration has built on the progress of its predecessors to enhance our nation's resilience against cyber threats," Plaggemier said. Past areas of focus have often included refining the structure of cyber agencies, maintaining consistent regulatory enforcement and evolving strategies to counter foreign threats.

"Regardless of which administration is in office, protecting critical infrastructure is essential to tackling today's complex cyber challenges," she added. "Ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors will be crucial for sustaining robust defenses and adapting to evolving policies."

Updated Nov. 6, 2024, 20:22 UTC: This story has been updated throughout.

With reporting from Information Security Media Group's Mathew Schwartz in Scotland.