Trump administration drafting ban on Chinese data center devices, sources say

The Trump administration is drafting a ban on U.S. imports of new Chinese optical transceivers for data centers, according to four people familiar with the matter. The Federal Communications Commission is working on the measure to protect U.S. data center infrastructure from Chinese firms potentially stealing data or installing malware, with officials hoping to publish it this year.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is drafting a ban on U.S. imports of new models of Chinese data center components, four people familiar with the matter said, as it seeks to protect the infrastructure that undergirds the AI boom. The Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the U.S. telecom industry, is working on the measure to bar imports of new Chinese optical transceivers, which allow data to travel over fiber-optic cables at the speed of light within data centers. Officials hope to publish it this year, when it would take effect. The move, not previously reported, aims to prevent Chinese firms from stealing data, installing malware or disrupting service at U.S. data centers, which house the chips to train and run AI models.