Trump declares robot imports a national security threat

President Trump issued a proclamation on October 28 declaring imported factory robots a national security threat and ordered negotiations with trading partners over the next six months, with potential tariffs looming if no agreement is reached. The move targets the "big four" robotics manufacturers—Japan's FANUC and Yaskawa, Switzerland's ABB, and Germany's KUKA—that dominate US factory floors. American automakers like Ford and General Motors, Tesla, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin depend heavily on these foreign-made industrial arms; the US installed nearly 38,500 new industrial robots in 2025 alone. Any tariffs would raise manufacturing costs for US companies, since no domestic producer currently makes comparable heavy-duty robotic arms.