Chinese robots appear headed for a federal ban in the United States.
The bipartisan American Security Robotics Act of 2026, introduced by Republican Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York, targets unmanned ground vehicle systems (UGVs), which includes everything from wheeled surveillance robots to legged humanoid and robodogs. If passed, it would prohibit federal money from going toward robots manufactured or assembled by companies tied to China and designated foreign adversaries. GOP Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has introduced companion legislation in the House.
The legislation does not propose a blanket consumer ban but it could have a major impact on federally funded research at universities where Hangzhou-based Unitree’s G1 has become the default humanoid development platform thanks to its relatively low entry price.
Concerns about China’s aggressive robotics push have risen sharply among US officials after Unitree’s viral display during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala on primetime Chinese TV. A fleet of Unitree’s compact G1 and full-sized H2 humanoids stunned audiences with their advanced Kung Fu and acrobatic capabilities.
“The Chinese Communist Party has shown that they are willing to lie and cheat to get ahead at the expense of the American people and our national security,” Schumer said in a press release. “They are running their standard playbook – this time in robotics – trying to flood the US market with their technology, which presents real security risks and threats to Americans’ privacy and American research and industry. We must protect our country from these threats, starting with a ban on the federal government buying CCP technology.”
The law would take effect in two stages. The ban on federal agencies buying Chinese robots would start immediately once enacted. Agencies would be given a one-year transition period before stricter rules kick in requiring them to stop operating the machines entirely. Federal funds could no longer be used to support their use, even through contractors or grants.
The bill’s language provides wiggle room for the Department of Homeland Security, the DoD, and the DOJ. They can still use the systems if it services national interests or if they’ve been modified to eliminate any data-sharing risk with foreign entities and are certified as secure.
The proposal has a moderate chance of making it to President Trump’s desk for approval. Whether he signs it probably depends on his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jingping when it hits his desk.
It’s a politically safe move for both major parties in the US, where attitudes about artificial intelligence have soured significantly since it captured the cultural zeitgeist in late 2022. Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders have proposed a moratorium of new AI datacenter construction until comprehensive federal regulations are considered.
The senators filed the proposal a week after the US House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection heard testimony from the Massachusetts robotics leader Boston Dynamics. Matthew Malchano, who serves as VP of software and security, called advanced robotics a critical security issue. Drawing on more than two decades of experience at the robotics firm, he explained that modern machines are rapidly moving into widespread deployment across sectors.
“China last year adopted and installed 10 times more robots in factories than the United States,” he said. “China also uses its Little Giant designation to provide companies with government and support. One of the companies designated as a Little Giant is Unitree, the most visible Chinese company selling legged robots in the US.”
He emphasized the systems are inherently dual use, meaning their industrial applications can be adapted for the military. Unitree’s quadrupeds have already been modified for military exercises by the People’s Liberation Army, the US Marines, Ukraine, and others. But the company insists it does not support lethal use cases. In October 2022, Unitree joined Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, and others in signing an open letter pledging to not weaponize their machines.
Malchano argued that Unitree’s robots represent a new cyber-physical risk. He called on Congress to direct CISA to conduct a sweeping government-led review of robotics systems produced by foreign entities. Boston Dynamics also urged lawmakers to establish a national robotics commission to form a strategy to lead the world in robotics by passing the National Robotics Commission Act bill introduced last month by US Rep. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif.