Executive Order 13905, signed on February 12, 2020, directed federal agencies to reduce their dependence on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology and develop backup positioning, navigation, and timing services across critical infrastructure sectors. The order mandated that agencies managing power grids, financial systems, transportation networks, and telecommunications develop resilience protocols to ensure operational continuity if GPS signals became degraded or unavailable. The directive required agencies to identify vulnerabilities in their reliance on GPS-based systems and implement alternative technologies or hardened infrastructure within specified timeframes, establishing new federal protocols that would govern how agencies approach PNT services going forward.

The order directly affects multiple federal agencies with responsibility for critical infrastructure, including the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Homeland Security. Utilities, financial institutions, and transportation operators that depend on government coordination for synchronized timing systems also face indirect consequences. These entities must align with new federal standards for backup systems, potentially requiring significant capital investment in alternative technologies such as eLoran or other terrestrial-based navigation systems that do not rely on satellite signals.

The issuance of this executive order occurred within a broader pattern of Trump administration actions emphasizing control over federal scientific and technical decision-making structures. While this particular order addressed a legitimate infrastructure resilience concern, it preceded a series of subsequent actions that systematically reduced scientific input into policy formation, including the 2025 dissolution of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the termination of National Science Board members. These actions collectively represent a shift away from expert-driven governance in scientific and technological domains.

No major legal challenges to the order have been documented, though its implementation across agencies has proceeded gradually. The order remains technically active, though the extent of compliance with its backup system requirements across all designated agencies remains unclear from public records.