President Donald J. Trump on Wednesday ordered negotiations with trading partners to adjust imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their parts to address a national security threat, according to a White House proclamation.
The move follows a report by the Secretary of Commerce that found these imports are coming in “in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security” of the United States. The proclamation says robotics and industrial machinery are essential to defense production and critical infrastructure and that U.S. industry does not produce enough to meet national security needs.
The proclamation cites the Secretary’s findings that robotics and industrial machinery underpin modern manufacturing for defense, commercial, and dual-use applications, enabling design, production, and sustainment across a wide range of defense activities. It notes that advanced robots can support missions such as reconnaissance and mine clearing and that automation helps sustain production of missiles, aircraft, and ships.
According to the proclamation, these technologies also carry broad economic weight, supporting “approximately $7.1 trillion in shipments of manufactured goods in 2024” and “the production of approximately $86 billion worth of equipment in 2024.” It says industrial robots and machines are used across all 16 critical infrastructure sectors, including automotive, electronics, metal and machinery, plastics and chemicals, and food and beverages.
The Secretary found that the United States relies on foreign imports for most types of robotics and industrial machinery and that import values have risen over the last decade and are projected to keep rising. The proclamation says this reliance threatens the long-term competitiveness of a sector that is increasingly vital to national security. It also says products and components from certain foreign entities pose cybersecurity and safety risks because they are integrated into systems that process and store sensitive data.
The proclamation states that U.S. production capacity is insufficient and underutilized and that, without intervention, challenges for domestic manufacturers will likely continue. It says action is needed to strengthen, expand, and modernize the U.S. manufacturing and industrial base for these goods and components.
Under the directive, the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative will jointly pursue or continue negotiations of agreements with any trading partner they deem appropriate. They must provide updates “from time to time,” including one within 180 days of the proclamation’s date.
Depending on the status or outcome of those talks, the President may consider alternative remedies, including imposing or modifying tariffs, duties, quotas, and fees, and creating a program to incentivize new investment in U.S. production of robotics, industrial machinery, and related parts, according to the proclamation. The Commerce Secretary will continue to monitor imports and advise if further presidential action under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 is warranted.
The proclamation cites authority under section 232, which allows the President to adjust imports that threaten national security, and section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows changes to the tariff schedule. It says any inconsistent provisions of prior proclamations and executive orders are superseded to the extent of the inconsistency.