DHS Preparing for ‘EMP Attack’ Ahead of 2020 Election

There are plenty of bad actors out there on the world’s stage who would like nothing more than for the United States to fail.  We have been the world preeminent superpower for decades, if not centuries, and nations like Russia and China appear to be in some sort of hurry to change that.

Now, with only a few weeks separating the US from its tumultuous 2020 election, the Department of Homeland Security is preparing for the worst.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to prepare against ever evolving threats against the American homeland, most recently highlighting efforts to combat an Electromagnetic Pulse attack which could disrupt the electrical grid and potentially damage electronics. Today, the department is releasing the Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Program Status Report as part of an update on efforts underway in support of Executive Order (E.O.) 13865 on Coordinating National Resilience to Electromagnetic Pulses. E.O. 13865 establishes resilience and security standards for U.S. critical infrastructure as a national priority.

Such an attack could have a devastating result.

EMP weapons have the potential to disrupt unprotected critical infrastructure within the US and could impact millions over large parts of the country. Since the President’s signing of the E.O. in March 2019, DHS, through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), in coordination with the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has taken key actions to address known EMP-related vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure. The EMP Program Status Report highlights efforts taken across the public and private sector to foster increased resilience to EMP events. Through data analysis, vulnerability and risk assessments, testing and pilot programs, and government and industry engagement, the department is identifying critical infrastructure and associated functions that are at greatest risk from an EMP, and developing and implementing best practices to reduce the risk.

Were an EMP attack to take place here on American soil just ahead of the election, chaos would almost certainly ensue…much to the chagrin of men like Vladimir Putin.