Trump Administration Signals Crackdown on Chinese Humanoid Robot Imports Amid National Security Concerns

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has privately warned U.S. executives that the administration is studying state-subsidized Chinese robotics imports and may take strong action to counter them, according to multiple attendees at a closed-door roundtable reported by Politico. The June 23 meeting included leaders from SpaceX, Boston Dynamics, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Siemens, and Rockwell Automation, focusing on reversing manufacturing offshoring and rebuilding domestic capacity for semiconductors, robotics, and related components. Lutnick reportedly stated, “We don’t want state-subsidized robotics attacking us in America... We need to make sure they’re produced in America so we’re going to study those right now,” with one participant noting the risk of ending up with “an American brain with a Chinese body.”

This aligns with broader congressional efforts, including the House Select Committee on China’s push for the GUARD Act to block imports of robots from firms like Unitree Robotics, which has been designated a Chinese military company and sells humanoid models on platforms like Amazon. Earlier statements from Lutnick, such as pledges against allowing Chinese humanoid robots into the U.S. similar to restrictions on electric vehicles, underscore the emerging policy focus. China’s dominance in industrial robots—deploying roughly four times as many as the U.S. in recent years—and projected control of up to 80% of the global humanoid market highlight supply chain vulnerabilities in rare earths, actuators, and specialty parts where the U.S. lags. Potential measures include heightened tariffs, procurement preferences for domestic producers, and integration with automakers like Tesla for scaled humanoid production, given overlaps in motors, sensors, and AI software. These developments mark a shift from generic trade rhetoric to targeted industrial policy with direct stakes for American manufacturing jobs and strategic autonomy in physical AI systems.