On Tuesday, July 29th, 2026, the Trump administration announced a ban on the import of new foreign-made humanoid robots into the United States, citing "unacceptable risks" to national security. The ban covers advanced robots, including humanoid and four-legged machines, many of which are manufactured in China. This move is part of a broader competition between the US and China to lead in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

In addition to robots, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also prohibited the import of power inverters—devices used in data centers and solar panels—due to potential risks to the US economy. The FCC expressed concerns that foreign-made inverters could be exploited by overseas firms or foreign government actors to remotely disable equipment, steal data, conduct surveillance, or facilitate cyberattacks.

FCC chairman Brendan Carr stated the agency's commitment "to secure America's critical supply chains." The banned items have been added to the FCC's Covered List, which registers goods and services deemed threats to US national security.

Despite China being the world's largest exporter of electric vehicles, it faces a 100% tariff effectively barring it from the American market. In response, the Chinese government asserted that its AI development is "the result of its own dedication and effort as well as international cooperation."

The BBC has reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington and major Chinese robot manufacturers including Unitree, UBTech, and AgiBot for comment.

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