The Trump administration has banned the import of new foreign-made humanoid robots, robot dogs and power inverters, citing “unacceptable” threats to national security. This move will have a major impact on imports from China, which currently accounts for the overwhelming majority of the global market share.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday announced a ban on foreign-made devices, saying they could be remotely controlled, used for surveillance by foreign governments, or used for other forms of cyberattacks.
The FCC said exceptions would be made if the government determined the devices did not pose a risk to U.S. national security.
The U.S. government has long accused China of hacking U.S. companies to steal data and preparing future cyberattacks for its military interests, including an anticipated invasion of Taiwan. But the United States has also long warned that the risk of Chinese ownership alone could lead the Chinese government to force companies to spy on Americans or tamper with products remotely. The U.S. government has similar legal authority.
Humanoid robots are a type of robot that moves like humans, but they are far from mainstream and are still in the early stages of development. Approximately 15,000 humanoid robots were shipped worldwide in 2025, with China's two largest robot manufacturers each accounting for the majority of shipments.
Inverters are much more commonly used in U.S. homes to connect solar and other renewable energy systems to the broader power grid. According to the FCC, existing equipment in homes and facilities is not affected by the ban.
The ban is the latest in a series of actions the U.S. government has taken against China in recent years, including the U.S. government's ban that forced TikTok into the hands of U.S. investors, as well as broader bans on foreign consumer routers and Chinese surveillance equipment makers Hikvision and Dahua that have been implicated in human rights abuses.
The Chinese government rejected the FCC's ban, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson quoted by the Associated Press saying China would take “all necessary measures” to protect its businesses.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., during a state visit scheduled for September.
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