White House makes Section 232 determination regarding foreign-made robots

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,”statedthe 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-criticalmilitaryand law-enforcement activities to critical infrastructure sectors such asagriculture,automotive, and electronicsmanufacturing, the U.S.governmentasserted that robots and related systems are vital to U.S. competitiveness. The value of such imported systems has grown over the past decade, andcybersecurityrisks have also grown, according to the secretary of commerce.

The Section 232 statement specifically cited “advanced robots — such as autonomous robots,humanoidandquadrupedrobots, 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 totariffson foreign made robots? With most of the majorindustrialautomation providers based overseas, it remains to be seen how trade negotiations will go. The threat of geopolitical rivalChinais motivating policies such as this investigation and recentFCCrestrictions.

Experts expect Section 232 negotiations before any tariffs

Industry leaders and observers offered initial reactions:

“As I articulated last week on [a]panelat theArrowflyRoboBusiness 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 atBoston 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 toldThe Robot Report.

“Today, we still have limited industrial robot manufacturing in the U.S.,” said Little. “Already,FANUC,Teradyne Robotics, andYaskawahave 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, addedAsh Sharma, vice president of research and chief information officer atInteract 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 Reportis expecting more responses that will be shared in subsequent coverage.

Panelists discussed reshoring and policies such as the Section 232 investigation at RoboBusiness 2026. Credit: Arrowfly

About The Author

Eugene Demaitre

Eugene Demaitre is editorial director of the robotics group at Arrowfly (previously WTWH Media). He was senior editor of The Robot Report from 2019 to 2020 and editorial director of Robotics 24/7 from 2020 to 2023. Prior to working at Arrowfly, Demaitre was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and Robotics Business Review.

Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts, podcasts, and conferences worldwide. He has a master's from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

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