Trump calls imported robots a security threat but orders trade talks, not tariffs, for now
A White House proclamation gives negotiators 180 days to report on deals covering robots, factory machinery and their parts.
President Donald Trump on Oct. 28 declared that imports of robots, industrial machinery and their parts threaten U.S. national security, but he stopped short of new tariffs for now. Instead, a White House proclamation directs the Commerce secretary and the U.S. trade representative, the president's chief trade negotiator, to seek agreements with trading partners.
The finding was made under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, a law that lets a president limit imports that endanger national security. The proclamation says the United States relies on foreign imports for most types of robots and industrial machines and produces less of this equipment than it uses. It also says machines from some foreign suppliers can pose cybersecurity risks because they store and process sensitive data.
The proclamation covers advanced machines such as humanoid and four-legged robots, which it says help the military with tasks like clearing mines.
The two officials must report on the talks within 180 days. If no agreement is reached in that time, or a deal is not working, the president may take other steps, including tariffs, quotas or fees, the proclamation says.
Source: The White House, proclamation on robotics and industrial machinery imports, Oct. 28, 2026.