U.S. President declares national emergency over tech threats against America

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a “national emergency” over technology threats against America, CNBC reports.

“The President has made it clear that this Administration will do what it takes to keep America safe and prosperous, and to protect America from foreign adversaries who are actively and increasingly creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in information and communications technology infrastructure and services in the United States,” press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote in a statement.

This is breaking news and more will be added, but CNBC reports that Trump has signed the executive order that was reported on earlier.

The executive order essentially would ban any business with Huawei, the Shenzhen-based company that has been under scrutiny by the country for using backdoor tactics in its technology to spy on citizens.

Reuters reported that this order has been in the works for over a year now and that it has repeatedly been delayed. The signing of the order comes at a time when China and the U.S. face tense trade relations.

The order would invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that grants the president the authority to regulate any commerce that could pose a national security threat to the U.S.

Update – May 16th: Huawei has issued a statement on the matter, noting “Huawei is against the decision made by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce. This decision is in no one’s interest. It will do significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business, affect tens of thousands of American jobs, and disrupt the current collaboration and mutual trust that exist on the global supply chain. Huawei will seek remedies immediately and find a resolution to this matter. We will also proactively endeavor to mitigate the impacts of this incident.”

Source: CNBC