Trump declares national emergency over foreign threats to US power grid

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency over what his administration described as an “unusual and extraordinary foreign threat” to the country’s bulk-power system, citing potential cybersecurity and operational risks posed by foreign-produced equipment.

The executive order, published by the White House, aims to strengthen the security and reliability of the U.S. electricity grid by restricting the purchase and installation of certain foreign-made electric equipment, including critical software and digital capabilities.

The order states that foreign-produced equipment could create vulnerabilities that may be exploited for “sabotage, unauthorized access, or other disruption,” potentially causing catastrophic consequences for critical U.S. infrastructure.

“The Order declares a national emergency under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the National Emergencies Act,” the White House said.

According to the administration, the measures are intended to address growing U.S. dependence on foreign components as demand for electricity rises due to the expansion of advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and defence production.

“Continued reliance on foreign sources of bulk-power system electric equipment creates a supply chain vulnerability to the U.S.,” the White House said.

The order authorises the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with other Cabinet officials, to impose conditions on the continued use of certain foreign-produced equipment where necessary to address security concerns. Officials are also directed to identify equipment that could pose risks and recommend measures to mitigate those threats.

The restrictions do not apply to facilities used for local distribution of electricity.

The administration said the initiative is aimed at eliminating supply-chain vulnerabilities while maintaining “abundant, reliable electricity” for national defence, emergency services, critical infrastructure and the wider U.S. economy.

The Energy Department will also be responsible for developing rules to implement the executive order.

In early July, Trump said in an interview with CNBC that he expected the United States to double its electricity generation.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, in an interview with journalist Michael Knowles in late June, acknowledged that China is ahead of the United States in artificial intelligence due to its rapid development of the energy infrastructure needed to power data centres.

By Vugar Khalilov