In January, then-President Joe Biden issued the sweeping Executive Order (EO), Strengthening and Promoting Innovation in the Nation’s Cybersecurity, which included a direct mandate for federal agencies to prioritize privacy-preserving digital identity systems. Mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) and electronic identity documents were explicitly mentioned as key components in his last-minute modernization push.
For the first time, the White House officially recognized digital identity as not just a convenience issue, but a fundamental pillar of government service delivery and cybersecurity resilience. The Trump administration’s apparent decision to maintain EO 14144 indicates an acknowledgment of the importance of strengthening cybersecurity measures, even if the broader approach to digital identity and privacy may differ.
The Trump administration, however, has neither promoted nor expanded upon the digital identity initiatives outlined in Biden’s EO. There also has been no significant public communication or policy development from the administration regarding the implementation or advancement of privacy-preserving digital identity systems. This lack of emphasis suggests that while the order remains in place, it may not be a current priority for the administration.
