White House Warns of EMP Attacks On U.S.

The Trump administration is taking steps to protect the United States from electro-magnetic pulse events, or EMPs, a type of event that can occur naturally but that has also been weaponized by nations seeking to cripple the country's critical infrastructure.

"An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) has the potential to disrupt, degrade, and damage technology and critical infrastructure systems," the White House writes in the new executive order. "Human-made or naturally occurring EMPs can affect large geographic areas, disrupting elements critical to the Nation's security and economic prosperity, and could adversely affect global commerce and stability."

"It is the policy of the United States to prepare for the effects of EMPs through targeted approaches that coordinate whole-of-government activities and encourage private-sector engagement," the order states. "The Federal Government must provide warning of an impending EMP; protect against, respond to, and recover from the effects of an EMP through public and private engagement, planning, and investment; and prevent adversarial events through deterrence, defense, and nuclear nonproliferation efforts."

More