What Is a Section 232 Investigation?

A Section 232 investigation is the Commerce Department review, under 19 U.S.C. section 1862, of whether imports of a product threaten to impair national security. Commerce opened the robotics investigation on September 2, 2025, covering imports of robotics, industrial machinery, and their parts and components (90 FR 46382).

On October 28, 2026, the President signed a proclamation (Proclamation 11077, 91 FR 69199-69202, Nov. 2, 2026) that accepts Commerce's finding that these imports threaten to impair national security. The proclamation directs Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate agreements with trading partners and to report progress within 180 days, by April 26, 2027. It imposes no tariffs or quotas. If talks fail or an agreement proves ineffective, the President may impose tariffs, duties, quotas, or fees under 19 U.S.C. section 1862(c)(3)(A).

Pinpoint: Proclamation 11077, 91 FR 69199-69202 (Nov. 2, 2026). Related term: Section 232 Investigation (19 U.S.C. § 1862; Proclamation 11077, 91 FR 69199-69202 (Nov. 2, 2026)).