U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Presidential document that he has extended the national emergency concerning ongoing malicious cyber activities against the country for another year. The national emergency was first issued in April 2015 to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the U.S., constituted by the increasing prevalence and severity of malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the country.
Issued by former President Barack Obama, the Executive Order 13694 identified “that the increasing prevalence and severity of malicious cyber-enabled activities originating from, or directed by persons located, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
The President issued Executive Order 13757 of December 28, 2016, Executive Order 13984 of January 19, 2021, Executive Order 14110 of October 30, 2023 (in relevant part), and Executive Order 14144 of January 16, 2025 (in relevant part), to take additional steps to address the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694. Executive Order 14148 of January 20, 2025 (in relevant part), revoked Executive Order 14110.
“These significant malicious cyber-enabled activities continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Trump wrote in the document, published Monday in the Federal Register. “For this reason, the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694, and with respect to which additional steps were taken in Executive Order 13757, Executive Order 13984, Executive Order 14110 (revoked by Executive Order 14148), and Executive Order 14144, must continue in effect beyond April 1, 2025.”
Therefore, Trup added, “in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694.”
Trump also called for the latest notice to be transmitted to Congress.
In response to a recent social media post detailing the active planning of a coordinated, multi-city terrorist attack on hospitals in the upcoming weeks, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Health-ISAC issued a bulletin last week to raise awareness of this potential threat. This action, taken out of an abundance of caution, aims to inform and prepare healthcare facilities. The agencies are maintaining close communication with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding the threat and will share further updates as they become available.
Subsequently, the FBI advised on Mar. 26 that after extensive investigation and intelligence review, they have not identified any specific credible threat targeted against hospitals in any U.S. city. “The FBI advised if they receive credible threat information, they will immediately advise any identified potential targets and, if appropriate, alert the broader health care sector through the AHA, the Health-ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center) and other appropriate channels.”
Earlier this month, the administration reportedly dismissed members of its advisory committees, including the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB), which is responsible for investigating significant cybersecurity incidents. This action is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce costs within the agency.
