Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have criticised the Trump administration’s decision to pause several technology security measures targeting China, warning the move could undermine national security.
In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, senior Democrats Gregory Meeks and Sydney Kamlager-Dove described the decision as “troubling”, suggesting it prioritises stabilising ties with Beijing over safeguarding American interests.
The lawmakers pointed specifically to the shelving of a proposed ban on China Telecom’s U.S. operations, as well as potential restrictions on routers made by TP-Link and the American internet businesses of China Unicom and China Mobile.
They also questioned whether officials had redirected scrutiny away from China in assessing foreign technology threats, and requested a formal briefing on the national security implications of the decisions.
Trade Truce Driving Policy?
The criticism comes amid growing concern among Democrats that the administration is easing pressure on Beijing following a trade truce agreed between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last October.
Additional measures reportedly put on hold include restrictions on Chinese electric trucks and buses, as well as limits on Chinese equipment used in U.S. data centres.
Diplomatic Balancing Act
The policy shift also coincides with Trump’s expected visit to China between March 31 and April 2, where he is set to meet Xi in a high-stakes engagement between the world’s two largest economies.
While the administration has not publicly responded to the concerns, the debate highlights a widening divide in Washington over how to balance economic diplomacy with national security in managing US-China relations.
(with inputs from Reuters)
