White House makes Section 232 determination regarding foreign-made robots

Screencap of proclamation. The U.S. president has proclaimed that a Section 232 investigation found that robotics imports pose a threat to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

A Section 232 investigation by the secretary of commerce found that robotics imports pose a threat to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Source: Office of the White House

Yesterday, U.S. President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation stating that the secretary of commerce had submitted a Section 232 report about the national security effects of imports of robotics and industrial machinery, as well as related parts and components.

“Based on the facts considered in that investigation, and taking into account the close relation of the economic welfare of the Nation to our national security and other relevant factors, see section 232(d) (19 U.S.C. 1862(d)), the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that robotics, industrial machinery, and their components are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States,” stated the president.

“Robotics and industrial machinery are critical to virtually all modern manufacturing processes, including for defense, commercial, and dual-use purposes,” he noted. “Furthermore, robotics and industrial machinery generate substantial economic value and support important economic activities, including approximately $7.1 trillion in shipments of manufactured goods in 2024 and the production of approximately $86 billion worth of equipment in 2024.”

From mission-critical military and law-enforcement activities to critical infrastructure sectors such as agriculture, automotive, and electronics manufacturing, the U.S. government asserted that robots and related systems are vital to U.S. competitiveness. The value of such imported systems has grown over the past decade, and cybersecurity risks have also grown, according to the secretary of commerce.

The Section 232 statement specifically cited “advanced robots — such as autonomous robots, humanoid and quadruped robots, and autonomous ground vehicles” as providing direct support to the U.S. military.

While investments in U.S. robotics production capacity have increased, they are not sufficient to meet U.S. demand, said the president. He directed the secretary and the U.S. trade representative to “to enter into negotiations with trading partners to adjust imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security of the United States.”

Will this Section 232 determination lead to tariffs on foreign made robots? With most of the major industrial automation providers based overseas, it remains to be seen how trade negotiations will go. The threat of geopolitical rival China is motivating policies such as this investigation and recent FCC restrictions.

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Experts expect Section 232 negotiations before any tariffs

Industry leaders and observers offered initial reactions:

“As I articulated last week on [a] panel at the Arrowfly RoboBusiness conference in Santa Clara with respect to the FCC action, this is another strong signal of government support for those working on developing and expanding domestic supply chains for robots,” Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and government relations at Boston Dynamics, posted to LinkedIn.

He noted that the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) Robotics Commission reached similar findings.

“The next step for the federal government? Negotiations over the next six months with trading partners to adjust imports, and then further consideration of other trade policy measures,” added Schulman. “I am very pleased to see robotics gaining increasing attention and importance as one of the foundational technologies in need of broad, supportive policy action by the U.S. government. More to come, I’m sure!”

Robert Little, former chief of robotics strategy at Novanta Inc., 2026 Joseph F. Engerlberger Robotics Award honoree, and business development advisor, concurred. “Robotics are critical for any country rebuilding its manufacturing. I’m thinking, what took so long to make this a priority?” he told The Robot Report.

“Today, we still have limited industrial robot manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Little. “Already, FANUC, Teradyne Robotics, and Yaskawa have announced investments aimed at expanding U.S. robot manufacturing. I expect more to come, and I hope this new proclamation helps accelerate it.”

“Yet, what concerns me most are the gaps in our domestic supply of components for robotics and industrial machines: sensors, actuators, precision gears, encoders and more,” he noted. “We need a much stronger U.S. supply base for these components. This is where we need the most help to strengthen America’s ability to manufacture.”

The Section 232 investigation does not mean that tariffs will be immediate, added Ash Sharma, vice president of research and chief information officer at Interact Analysis. “This shouldn’t be read as a new robotics tariff today, but it is a clear indication of the direction of travel,” he said.

“The U.S. government has explicitly identified its reliance on imported robotics and industrial machinery as a national security concern and is seeking to strengthen domestic production,” commented Sharma. “If tariffs, quotas or other trade measures follow, they could have meaningful implications for supplier competitiveness, pricing, and manufacturing localization in the U.S., potentially affecting not just finished robots, but [also] the components that go into them.”

The Robot Report is expecting more responses that will be shared in subsequent coverage.