Trump Declares National Emergency to Ban Foreign Grid Equipment

President Donald J. Trump declared a national emergency on August 26, 2026, and signed Executive Order 14420 to secure the United States bulk-power system from foreign security threats. The order prohibits the acquisition, importation, and installation of foreign-produced electrical equipment, software, and digital services from covered foreign entities—specifically those subject to U.S. sanctions or deemed detrimental to national security.

The directive targets high-voltage infrastructure rated at 69 kilovolts or higher, including transformers, batteries, inverters, generators, and turbines. The administration cited the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, data centers, and defense production as factors that have increased the nation's dependence on reliable electricity and magnified the risks of sabotage or unauthorized access via digital backdoors. While the ban excludes local electric distribution facilities to prevent residential power interruptions, it allows the government to isolate or replace existing compromised hardware with domestic alternatives.

The United States Department of Energy has 120 days to publish formal implementing regulations and identify risky equipment. Additionally, the administration mandated a review of federal procurement policies within 180 days to prioritize U.S.-manufactured energy infrastructure. The move follows recent cyberattacks on water facilities and reports of undisclosed communication devices in Chinese solar power inverters. The order is widely viewed as targeting China, which dominates the global supply chain for solar components and lithium-ion batteries.