Trump Deems Wind Turbine Imports 'Security Threat,' Directs 180-Day Negotiations with Trading Partners Instead of Tariffs

WASHINGTON

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on the 22nd (local time) determining that imports of wind turbines and their parts and subcomponents threaten to impair the national security of the United States. The measure follows the findings of an investigation conducted by the Department of Commerce under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Rather than immediately imposing new tariffs, President Trump directed the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to negotiate with foreign trading partners and report on their progress within 180 days. The White House posted the full text of the proclamation on its official website.

President Trump Concurs with Commerce Secretary's 'National Security Threat' Finding

According to the proclamation, the Secretary of Commerce submitted a report to the President within the preceding 90 days regarding an investigation conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862). In the report, the Secretary concluded that imports of wind turbines and their parts and subcomponents "threaten to impair the national security of the United States" and recommended action pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 232. After reviewing the report and the factors set forth in subsection (d), President Trump stated, "I concur with the Secretary's finding."

The Secretary recommended "a range of actions" to adjust imports. President Trump chose to pursue negotiations with trading partners. The proclamation stated that to address the national security threat, "it is necessary and appropriate to enter into negotiations with foreign trading partners." The specific recommendations and submission date of the report were not disclosed in the proclamation. As risks identified by the Secretary, the proclamation cited cybersecurity vulnerabilities in foreign-made components that could allow remote manipulation, disruptions to the electric grid and critical infrastructure, airspace interference, and radar interference.

The investigation began more than a year ago. According to a notice published in the Federal Register (90 FR 41380) on August 25, 2025, by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Secretary initiated a Section 232 investigation into imports of wind turbines and their parts and components on August 13 of that year. The deadline for public comments was September 9, 2025. The notice was signed by Robie Saunders, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Security at BIS, with inquiries directed to Stephen Astle, Division Chief of the Defense Industrial Base Division within the Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security at BIS.

BIS stated that the investigation was conducted pursuant to Part 705 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Effect of Imported Articles on the National Security). Items open for public comment included current and future U.S. demand for wind turbines and components, the extent to which domestic production can meet that demand, and the role that supply chains in major exporting nations play in satisfying U.S. requirements. Commenters were also asked whether it is feasible to expand domestic production capacity to reduce import dependence, the impact of current trade policies on domestic manufacturing, and whether additional measures such as tariffs or import quotas are necessary. The potential for foreign nations to control or exploit wind turbine supply chains was also subject to review. Submissions were received under Docket BIS-2025-0191 on the Federal eRulemaking Portal (regulations.gov). Submissions containing business confidential information were required to mark each page as 'BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL' and provide a separate public version marked 'PUBLIC.'

Commerce Finds Wind Energy Strains the Grid as an Unreliable Power Source

The first pillar of the Secretary's determination centers on the electric grid. The proclamation noted that the Secretary determined that "wind energy is an unreliable and intermittent energy source." As a result, "grid operators must frequently rely upon fast-ramping fossil fuel backup generators." The proclamation explained that this leads to increased operating costs and greater maintenance burdens.

The proclamation contrasted wind power with fossil fuel and nuclear generation, which provide steady output, pointing out that wind power accounts for only a "small portion" of utility-scale electricity generation in the United States. The Secretary determined that the use of wind power "diverts the United States electrical grid from more reliable energy sources." The Department of Commerce concluded that resources devoted to wind power could instead have been used to reinforce more dependable energy sources essential to national and economic security.

Foreign-Made Networked Inverters Pose Risks of Remote Manipulation

The second pillar is cybersecurity. The proclamation stated that foreign-made wind energy products, particularly networked inverters, present "an exploitable vulnerability" that could allow remote access and interference with U.S. power systems. Should an adversary seize control of power generation, there is a risk of power supply disruptions or facility sabotage. The proclamation explained that inverters convert electricity generated by turbines into a form suitable for use in the electrical grid or local distribution systems. The proclamation noted, "The vast majority of these inverters are produced outside the United States."

The Secretary found that wind energy products contain "serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities" capable of causing power disruptions. The proclamation added that such vulnerabilities could allow unauthorized remote control access to wind turbines.

Turbine-Generated Radar 'Clutter' Disrupts Air Traffic Control and Defense Missions

The third pillar is radar interference. According to the proclamation, wind turbines create "clutter" on ground-based and airborne radar systems. This clutter degrades radar detection sensitivity, obscures potential targets, generates false targets, and scatters radar reflections. The proclamation pointed out that certain mitigation techniques may inadvertently result in missing legitimate targets.

The proclamation stated that such interference can impair air traffic control, weather forecasting, homeland security, and national defense operations. It also raised concerns over unauthorized aircraft targeting sensitive U.S. critical infrastructure.

The fourth pillar is import dependency. The proclamation stated that the United States relies on foreign imports for wind turbine parts and subcomponents, and that such imports have increased over the past decade. It highlighted that "domestic manufacturing capacity for certain products, such as blades, has not meaningfully increased."

Commerce Secretary and USTR Must Report Negotiation Results Within 180 Days

The operative section of the proclamation consists of five clauses. Clause (1) directs the Secretary of Commerce and the USTR, in consultation with other senior administration officials as deemed appropriate, to jointly pursue or continue negotiations on agreements to address the threat. Clause (2) directs both officials to provide periodic updates to the President and submit a formal report within 180 days of the proclamation's date. Clause (3) directs the Secretary of Commerce to continue monitoring wind-related imports and notify the President should circumstances arise that may warrant further action.

If negotiations fail, additional measures could follow. The proclamation stated that presidential action under Section 232 may encompass other remedies, including tariffs, alongside negotiated agreements. If an agreement under 19 U.S.C. 1862(c)(3)(A)(i) is not concluded within 180 days, is not being carried out, or is ineffective, the President may take "other actions he deems necessary" to adjust imports. As legal authorities, the proclamation cited Section 232, Section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, and Section 301 of Title 3 of the United States Code concerning presidential delegation of authority. It also noted that Section 604 of the Trade Act authorizes the President to reflect modifications or impositions of rates of duty in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

President Trump took an identical approach in a July 9 Section 232 proclamation concerning commercial aircraft, jet engines, and parts. At that time, the Secretary of Commerce recommended against immediately imposing Section 232 tariffs, prompting President Trump to instruct the Secretary and the USTR to pursue negotiations and report back within 180 days. That proclamation also stated that the President "may consider alternative remedies in the future."

Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Tariffs Remain Fully in Effect for Wind Components

The latest proclamation leaves existing tariffs untouched. It noted that certain wind turbine parts and subcomponents containing significant amounts of steel, aluminum, or copper are already subject to Section 232 duties. These measures stem from Proclamation 9704 on aluminum and Proclamation 9705 on steel, issued on March 8, 2018, as well as Proclamation 10962 on copper, issued on July 30, 2025. Clause (4) stipulates that "Nothing in this proclamation modifies the tariffs imposed pursuant to Proclamation 9704," maintaining tariffs under all three proclamations. Clause (5) provides that prior proclamations and executive orders are superseded only to the extent of any inconsistency, and should any provision be held invalid, the remainder shall remain unaffected.

The range of articles subject to steel and aluminum tariffs has also expanded. On August 19, 2025, BIS published a notice in the Federal Register (90 FR 40326) adding 407 Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) subheadings for steel and aluminum derivative products to the tariff scope. These tariffs took effect for goods entered for consumption on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 18, 2025, applied specifically to the steel and aluminum content of the products. Non-steel and non-aluminum components remain subject to other applicable duties. BIS excluded 60 tariff lines subject to other investigations or trade remedy actions from the inclusion list. The list includes 8502.31.0000, which is referenced as a tariff classification in antidumping orders on wind towers. Under heading 7308.20, subheading 7308.20.0035 was also included.