What smart people are saying about Trump's ban on new Chinese humanoid robots
Business Insider · 2026-07-29
On Tuesday, July 29, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on new imports of "advanced robotic devices," including humanoid and quadruped robots, and China-made power inverters for batteries and data centers, citing "unacceptable safety risks to the national security of the United States." This ban does not affect robots already in the US.
Experts from various fields have weighed in on this development. Chris McGuire, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, called it a "very, very big deal," arguing it will incentivize US robotics supply chain development and prevent China from "flooding the US market with cheap robots" that pose security risks. Rush Doshi, Director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations, labeled it "one of the most significant actions taken so far in support of the U.S. robotics ecosystem," comparing its potential impact to the FCC's previous actions benefiting the domestic drone industry. Peter Harrell, Visiting Scholar at Georgetown Law School, concurred, calling it an "important national security move" that will provide a "substantial tailwind" to US and allied manufacturers. However, Ramez Naam, founder of Planetary VC, viewed the ban as a "double-edged sword," suggesting that while US industry might thrive long term, the rest of the world could have access to "better cheaper hum/quad robots" in the short term, giving China an advantage in a larger market. Justin Lopas, founder of Base Power, echoed that "this is a very big deal" for those informed.
*The full article also explores the specific national security concerns raised by Chinese advanced robotic devices and power inverters.*