The U.S. ban on humanoid robots takes effect, catching Chinese manufacturers—including Unitree—off guard.

On July 28, local time, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a new regulation prohibiting the import of novel Chinese-made humanoid and quadruped robots into the United States, as well as banning imports of novel Chinese-made power inverters. The ban took effect immediately and applies to all unreleased new models; existing models already authorized for sale remain unaffected. FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly stated that the move aims to "safeguard the security of America’s critical supply chains." U.S. officials justify the ban by claiming these devices could be exploited for data theft, remote control, and cyberattacks—posing a threat to U.S. AI infrastructure development. The Chinese Embassy in the U.S. responded that China consistently opposes the politicization of trade issues and rejects sanctions imposed on baseless pretexts. It affirmed that China will take all necessary measures to respond to any U.S. actions harming Chinese interests. Among the Chinese manufacturers named, Unitree Technology is the most directly impacted. Market research data shows Unitree holds nearly one-fifth of the global humanoid robot market share and ranks among the world’s leading robotics companies. Recently, Unitree partnered with NVIDIA to adopt NVIDIA’s Blackwell chips to power its robots. Earlier, Unitree had already been added to another list by the U.S. Department of Defense—a move widely viewed as a precursor to further U.S. action. John Moolenaar, Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, praised the FCC ban, calling it a measure that "protects our nation and strengthens America’s robotics industry." The rationale behind restricting both humanoid robots and inverters is fundamentally the same. Inverters are industrial devices that convert direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC), indispensable for data centers and solar power generation systems. As the U.S. undertakes massive AI data center construction—demanding extraordinary power—the inverter sits at the heart of such infrastructure. China is the world’s largest inverter producer, with Sungrow Power and Huawei dominating the sector. While Huawei has long been under U.S. sanctions, Sungrow continues aggressively expanding overseas. What makes Unitree so alarming to the U.S.? Coinciding with the ban’s implementation, a teardown report from SemiAnalysis—a semiconductor and AI research firm—drew widespread attention. Its core conclusion: Unitree’s flagship humanoid robot, the G1, has a bill-of-materials (BOM) cost of less than $9,000, yet sells for $27,300 (including tax), yielding a gross margin exceeding 60%; in some bulk transactions, its price has already dropped below $20,000. Just recently, the Shanghai Stock Exchange approved Unitree’s IPO application on the STAR Market. Its prospectus reveals that Unitree’s 2025 revenue exceeded RMB 1.7 billion, representing over a threefold year-on-year increase. Humanoid robot revenue accounted for less than 2% of total revenue in 2023 but surpassed half of total revenue in the first three quarters of 2025. Unitree shipped over 5,000 units globally in 2025, capturing nearly one-third of the global market—and ranking first in market share. SemiAnalysis meticulously disassembled every component of the G1, contacted component manufacturers for pricing, and cross-verified findings with multiple supply-chain buyers and sellers.

Five days before the FCC ban was issued, Trump’s son joined a robotics company.

On July 28, 2026, the U.S. FCC issued a ban prohibiting the import of humanoid and quadruped robots from China—effectively barring all new models from entering the U.S. market. Many analysts argue this reflects U.S. fears of China’s technological rise—and that Washington is now retreating behind closed doors to pursue self-reliant R&D and catch up. Is that truly the case? After scouring foreign media reports and institutional research, I found not a single mention of the U.S. significantly recruiting talent or ramping up R&D investment. Instead, one news item stands out—prompting serious reflection. On stage, Trump waves the flag, loudly advocating for banning Chinese robots and robotic dogs from the U.S. Off stage, his second son, Eric Trump, had already been neatly positioned. The timing is striking. The FCC’s robot ban was announced on July 28. Five days earlier—on July 23—Eric Trump officially joined a robotics company, assuming dual roles as investor and Chief Strategic Advisor. His father’s ban followed just days after his son’s entry into the very same industry. According to reports by Reuters, Caixin Media, and other outlets, the company Eric joined was founded in 2024 and specializes exclusively in humanoid robots for military and industrial applications—the exact same sector targeted by Trump’s ban. As of May this year, the company—barely one year old—had secured U.S. Department of Defense research contracts totaling $24 million, covering the Army, Navy, and Air Force. A startup barely a year old has effectively captured nearly all early U.S. military orders in the humanoid robot domain. Don’t underestimate this second son. Within the Trump family, Ivanka Trump commands the highest public profile and media visibility. Eric, however, follows a different path: a seasoned investor and veteran of capital markets, holding equity stakes in multiple defense-tech firms. With no scientific or engineering background whatsoever, he nonetheless grasps—and executes—the family’s business logic with precision. One operates front-and-center; the other works behind the scenes—clear division of labor. Senator Elizabeth Warren has already publicly criticized the arrangement, stating that the Trump family should not be deeply entangled with White House policymaking, warning that the conflation of political power and private business poses grave risks. So—can the U.S. succeed in developing its own humanoid robots? First, consider the timeline. Trump’s current term ends in January 2029—leaving barely over two years. Industry consensus holds that developing humanoid robots requires at least three to five years. Is a breakthrough feasible within just over two years? Who would believe it? Second, consider talent. A ban is one thing; R&D is another. If genuine self-reliance were the goal, the top priority would be pouring money into hiring and poaching talent.

Trump Administration to Ban New Chinese Humanoid Robots, Protecting US AI Buildout

Jul 28, 2026

The Trump administration plans to ban imports of new Chinese humanoid robots and power inverters to protect U.S. AI supply chains and national security, targeting firms like Unitree and Sungrow.

reuters

Trump Administration to Ban New Chinese Humanoid Robots, Protecting US AI Buildout

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