FCC bans imports of new foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, targeting China over national security
The FCC banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, citing national security risk. China supplies roughly 85% of the global humanoid robot market. Robots already sold in the US can still be used and resold. The rule lands before a planned Trump-Xi meeting in
The Federal Communications Commission has banned imports of new foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, a measure the agency says is needed to protect US supply chains from national security risks. FCC chairman Brendan Carr said the rule is meant to secure critical supply chains as advanced robotics increasingly rely on foreign-made components and software. The restriction targets China specifically: analysts estimate Chinese manufacturers account for roughly 85% of the global humanoid robot market, giving Beijing outsized influence over a technology increasingly used in warehouses, factories and eventually homes. The ban applies only to new models going forward. Robots already purchased or previously authorized for import can continue to be used, resold or imported by US retailers and consumers. Beijing responded by calling the measure protectionist. The timing is notable: the rule lands just weeks before a planned visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to meet with President Trump in September, adding another point of friction to a relationship already strained by tariffs and export controls on chips and other advanced technology. For US companies building automated warehouses and manufacturing lines, the ban forecloses access to some of the cheapest humanoid robots on the market at a moment when domestic humanoid robot production is still scaling up.