Trump doesn’t want Chinese humanoid robots: “Unacceptable risk to National Security”

©Andy Kelly via Unsplash

The United States is banning the import of new Chinese humanoid robots. “An unacceptable risk to our national security,” officials say.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced an import ban on new, foreign-made humanoid robots. With this move, the U.S. is directly targeting China. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has placed these devices on the so-called Covered List, a registry of goods that pose a risk to U.S. national security. The ban also applies to four-legged “robot dogs” and foreign-made power inverters, which are crucial components in data centers and solar panels.

According to the FCC, these network-connected robots can be hacked, used for espionage, or even remotely hijacked by foreign governments. Inverters are also said to have vulnerabilities: foreign companies could use them to disrupt power grids, steal data, or cause blackouts. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called the measure a logical step in “securing critical supply chains.” Existing, already-approved models may still be sold and used; only new models are subject to the ban. An exemption procedure will be established through the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security.

China displeased

Beijing reacted sharply. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke of the “political abuse” of security arguments and “protectionism” that harms American companies and consumers. “China will take all necessary measures to protect the rights of Chinese companies, ” said spokeswoman Mao Ning on BBC World. China had previously threatened retaliation in the event of further sanctions.

Trade war with China

The move is part of a broader technological offensive by Washington. The U.S. is already blocking the export of advanced chips to China, has imposed high tariffs on Chinese electric cars, and is warning Chinese AI companies of sanctions for alleged intellectual property theft. Chinese robotics companies such as Unitree, UBTech, and AgiBot have rapidly gained ground in recent years and are already bringing humanoids to market for factories and households, often ahead of American competitors such as Tesla and Boston Dynamics.

Analysts point to a strategic goal: the U.S. does not want to repeat what happened when China restricted exports of rare metals last year, which put pressure on global supply chains. At the same time, critics fear that the escalation will further poison the technological race and slow innovation—on both sides of the Pacific.

©Andy Kelly via Unsplash - illustrative image