A Fanuc robotic arm strikes bins of merchandise throughout a media tour of the Amazon.com Inc. DAB2 success middle in Daytona Seashore, Florida, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. The DAB2 success middle is Amazon’s seventh robotics success middle in Florida. Photographer: Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photos
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The Trump administration has launched nationwide safety investigations into imports of robotics, industrial equipment and medical units, a transfer that would pave the way in which for recent tariffs and lift prices for shoppers, hospitals and producers.
The Division of Commerce mentioned Wednesday that the probes, opened Sept. 2 beneath the “Part 232” of the Commerce Enlargement Act, will assess whether or not such imports threaten U.S. nationwide safety, in accordance with Federal Register filings.
The most recent probes increase the checklist of things that could possibly be uncovered to larger tariffs to incorporate private protecting gear akin to surgical masks, N95 respirators, gloves and different medical consumables, together with syringes, needles and pharmaceuticals.
Additionally they lengthen to imported medical gear akin to wheelchairs, hospital beds and diagnostic and remedy units like pacemakers, insulin pumps and coronary heart valves.
The probes could possibly be used as justification for recent sectoral tariffs geared toward boosting home manufacturing of products deemed vital to nationwide safety.
AdvaMed, the commerce group that represents medical expertise and gadget makers, harassed in a press release Thursday that 70% of medical merchandise in U.S. hospitals are already “made in America throughout 1000’s of producing amenities in all 50 states.”
The group mentioned it could proceed to work with the Trump administration, including, “We imagine this course of will reinforce the truth that U.S. medtech manufacturing is powerful and decrease tariffs will gasoline extra manufacturing and job development within the U.S., which suggests higher entry to lifesaving applied sciences and decrease prices to American hospitals and sufferers.”
The Division of Commerce is looking for feedback from firms on their projected demand for these merchandise and whether or not home manufacturing can meet native demand and the position of international provide chains.
Corporations are additionally invited to stipulate the impression of international subsidies and what the administration described as “predatory commerce practices.”
The Trump administration has beforehand invoked Part 232 to impose levies on cars and elements, copper, metal and aluminum.
Investigations into imports of prescription drugs, semiconductors and chip elements akin to silicon wafers, chipmaking gear and associated downstream merchandise are additionally ongoing, reflecting Washington’s considerations over reliance on abroad provide chains.
Any new duties ensuing from the sector-specific probes could be stacked on prime of U.S. President Doanld Trump’s country-specific tariffs, although the European Union and Japan have reached agreements that would defend them from additional levies.
The U.S. relies upon closely on Mexico and China for equipment, with imports from the 2 nations accounting for greater than 18% and 17% of complete U.S. equipment purchases in 2023, in accordance with knowledge from the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Fee.
The auto trade could possibly be among the many hardest hit by the newest potential tariffs, because it accounted for the most important demand for industrial robots — 13,747 installations final yr, in accordance with the Worldwide Federation of Robotics. Most of these robots have been imported, with few producers producing within the U.S., the group mentioned.
Culver Metropolis, CA – September 23: Element of vials and syringe containing a COVID-19 vaccination by Pfizer at Kaiser Permanente Venice Medical Workplace Constructing in Culver Metropolis Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. Particulars of vials, syringes in addition to vaccinations.
Allen J. Schaben | Los Angeles Occasions | Getty Photos
The potential levies on medical units and protecting gear might improve prices for hospitals and sufferers, lowering entry to vital gear and care, specialists have warned.
In April, Scott Whitaker, CEO of AdvaMed, warned of the chance of upper prices.
“MedTech provide chain leaders are already reporting provide chain considerations, and we can not afford to drive up the price of well being take care of sufferers, or on the well being care system,” he mentioned on the time. “The fact is, any elevated prices shall be largely borne by taxpayer-funded well being applications like Medicare, Medicaid and the [Veterans Health Administration].”
Hospital commerce teams have additionally been sounding the alarm this yr, warning that larger tariffs might harm the standard of care.
Rick Pollack, the CEO of the American Hospital Affiliation, mentioned in April that “disruptions within the availability of those vital units — lots of that are sourced internationally — have the potential to disrupt affected person care.”
Correction: This text has been up to date to incorporate AdvaMed’s newest assertion and make clear the timing of CEO Scott Whitaker’s feedback.
