President Donald Trump has declared imports of foreign-made industrial robots a threat to national security, ordering new negotiations between the United States and its trading partners while holding out the possibility of imposing new tariffs on such robot imports in the future.
Issued on October 28, Trump’s presidential proclamation represents increased government scrutiny of foreign-made industrial robots that could complicate the manufacturing operations of major American corporations that rely on such robots. Those companies include Detroit automakers General Motors and Ford, electric vehicle maker Tesla, and aerospace and defense giants such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
Trump’s proclamation describes industrial robots and machinery as crucial to producing US military weapons systems, as well as representing a “driving force” behind all critical infrastructure sectors within the US economy. The proclamation cites research by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, which found that U.S. imports of such robots “present[] risks to the United States industrial base and threatens the long-term competitiveness of the United States in a sector that is increasingly vital to national security.”
The Commerce Department investigation also reportedly found “unique security risks” that may introduce “significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities that could have serious consequences for the United States.”
That wording echoes justifications used by Trump’s Federal Communications Commission when it banned new models of foreign-made robots, such as robotic vacuum cleaners, four-legged robot dogs and humanoid robots, in July 2026. But that FCC action had specifically exempted industrial robotic arms and other fixed or stationary robots commonly deployed in auto factories and logistics warehouses.
Now, Trump’s directive for the United States and its trading partners to “adjust imports of robotics, industrial machinery and their components” aims to reach new agreements on the issue within 180 days from the date of the proclamation. If no agreement has been reached by then, the proclamation warns that the president could take additional measures, such as imposing “tariffs, duties, quotas and duties” on such imports.
