BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

1.  Within the past 90 days, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) transmitted to me a report on his investigation into the effects of imports of robotics and industrial machinery, as well as their parts and components (together, components), on the national security of the United States under section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1862 (section 232).  Based on the facts considered in that investigation, and taking into account the close relation of the economic welfare of the Nation to our national security and other relevant factors, see section 232(d) (19 U.S.C. 1862(d)), the Secretary found and advised me of his opinion that robotics, industrial machinery, and their components are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.

2.  Nearly all modern defense systems and critical infrastructure sectors require the use of robotics or industrial machinery to function or be manufactured effectively and efficiently.  Robotics and industrial machinery are critical to virtually all modern manufacturing processes, including for defense, commercial, and dual-use purposes.  Robotics and industrial machinery enable defense readiness and design, production, and sustainment activities across a wide range of defense applications.  Furthermore, robotics and industrial machinery generate substantial economic value and support important economic activities, including approximately $7.1 trillion in shipments of manufactured goods in 2024 and the production of approximately $86 billion worth of equipment in 2024.  

3.  The Secretary found that robotics and industrial machinery support the production of essential, state-of-the-art defense systems, such as aircraft, tanks, ships, weapons, and munitions, as well as certain military and law enforcement activities.  For example, advanced robots — such as autonomous robots, humanoid and quadruped robots, and autonomous ground vehicles — provide combat support to the United States military, including by conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions and by handling dangerous tasks, such as casualty extraction and mine detection and clearing.  Robotics and industrial machinery also enable the defense industry to automate the building of essential defense products, such as missiles, aircraft, and ships, allowing production activities to last longer and for repetitive tasks to be performed with minimal error.  Indeed, the defense industrial base’s ability to surge production, including during wartime or armed conflict, relies on industrial robotics and machinery.

4.  The Secretary found that robotics and industrial machines are also crucial to the United States’ critical infrastructure sectors and other key aspects of the United States economy.  Industrial robots and machines are used to create products and parts that are used across all 16 critical infrastructure sectors of the United States.  For example, industrial robots are heavily used in the automotive, electrical, and electronics industries and are also meaningfully used in the metal and machinery, plastic and chemical products, and food and beverage industries.  Similarly, industrial machinery carries out critical functions across various industries and in the manufacturing process for a range of goods, including construction equipment, electronics, medical devices, metal fabrication, motor vehicles, and aircraft.  And because industrial robots and machinery serve end-use industries and contribute to equipment manufacturing and product creation efforts, they carry expansive downstream implications for the United States economy.  Thus, robotics and industrial machines are a driving force behind critical infrastructure sectors and are crucial to the national and economic security interests of the United States.

5.  The Secretary found that the United States relies on foreign imports for most types of robotics and industrial machinery and for their components.  The value of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components imported into the United States has increased over the last decade and is projected to continue to increase.  This import reliance poses risks to the United States industrial base and threatens the long-term competitiveness of the United States in a sector that is increasingly vital to national security.

6.  The Secretary also found that robotics, industrial machinery, and their components from certain foreign entities pose unique security and safety risks.  Robotics and industrial machinery are integrated into many manufacturing and defense systems and routinely process and store sensitive data.  These technologies, when sourced from foreign entities, can pose significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities that can result in severe consequences to the United States. 

7.  The Secretary found that the domestic industry does not produce enough robotics, industrial machinery, and their components to meet national security needs, and that the need for domestically produced robotics, industrial machinery, and their components will only increase.  Despite a recent surge in investments in manufacturing facilities in the United States, the United States still produces less robotics and industrial equipment than it consumes, lacks the capacity to satisfy the need for robotics and industrial machinery with domestic sources, and underutilizes its manufacturing capacity for robotics, industrial equipment, and their components.  According to the Secretary, without intervention, challenges for United States manufacturers investing in robotics and industrial machinery will likely continue.  In the Secretary’s opinion, it is vital to take action to strengthen, expand, and modernize the domestic manufacturing and industrial base for robotics, industrial machinery, and their components.

8.  In light of these findings and other findings in the Secretary’s report, the Secretary recommended various actions to adjust the imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security.

9.  After considering the Secretary’s report, the factors in section 232(d) (19 U.S.C. 1862(d)), and other relevant factors and information, I concur with the Secretary’s finding that robotics, industrial machinery, and their components are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.  In my judgment, and in light of the Secretary’s report, the factors in section 232(d) (19 U.S.C. 1862(d)), and other relevant factors and information, I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to enter into negotiations with trading partners to adjust imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components so that such imports will not threaten to impair the national security of the United States.

10.  I therefore direct the Secretary and the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) to jointly pursue negotiations of agreements or continue any current negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imported robotics, industrial machinery, and their components, with any foreign trading partner the Secretary and the Trade Representative deem appropriate, and to update me on the progress of such negotiations within 180 days of the date of this proclamation.  Under current circumstances and in light of future requirements of the United States, this course of action is necessary and appropriate to address the threatened impairment of the national security. 

11.  Section 232 authorizes the President to take action to adjust the imports of an article and its derivatives that are being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security.  Section 232 includes the authority to adopt and carry out a plan of action, with adjustments over time, to address the national security threat.  That initial plan of action may include negotiations of agreements along with other actions to adjust imports to address the national security threat, including tariffs, duties, quotas, and fees.  If action under section 232 includes the negotiation of an agreement, such as one contemplated in section 232(c)(3)(A)(i) (19 U.S.C. 1862(c)(3)(A)(i)), the President may also take other actions he deems necessary to adjust imports to eliminate the threat that the imported article poses to the national security, including if such an agreement is not entered into within 180 days of the date of this proclamation, is not being carried out, or is ineffective.  See 19 U.S.C. 1862(c)(3)(A).

12.  Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483) (section 604), authorizes the President to embody in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States the substance of statutes affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including the removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 232; section 604; and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, do hereby proclaim as follows:

(1)  The Secretary and the Trade Representative shall jointly pursue or continue pursuing negotiations of agreements to address the threatened impairment of the national security with respect to imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components.  Depending on the status or outcome of such negotiations, I may consider alternative remedies in the future, including imposing or modifying tariffs, duties, quotas, and fees; and establishing a program to incentivize new investment in United States production of robotics and industrial machinery, as well as their parts and components.

     (2)  The Secretary and the Trade Representative, in consultation with any other senior executive branch official they deem appropriate, shall, from time to time, update me on the status or outcome of the negotiations described in this proclamation.  The Secretary and the Trade Representative shall provide one of these updates within 180 days of the date of this proclamation.

(3)  The Secretary shall continue to monitor imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their components and shall, from time to time, in consultation with any senior executive branch officials the Secretary deems appropriate, review the status of such imports with respect to the national security.  The Secretary shall inform me of any circumstances that, in the Secretary’s opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President under section 232.

(4)  Any provision of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that is inconsistent with this proclamation is superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.  If any provision of this proclamation or the application of any provision of this proclamation to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other individual or circumstance shall not be affected.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first.

                             DONALD J. TRUMP

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