WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Wednesday over foreign-made equipment inside the country’s electric grid, saying the growing need for power has made the system a target for hostile governments.

The executive order blocks companies from buying, importing or installing certain foreign-made parts used in what the government calls the bulk-power system.

A bulk-power system is the network of high-voltage lines, substations and power plants that transmits electricity across the country.

In the order, Trump said the boom in AI data centers and other advanced technology projects has left the US more dependent on stable electricity than ever.

If the grid went down, he argued, the damage would be far worse than in the past.

The order also warns that foreign-built equipment could contain hidden digital “backdoors” in its software — secret access points that would let another country control or shut off the equipment.

The order applies to countries under US arms embargoes or sanctions, or governments the administration decides are working against American interests.

China is not named, but Chinese-made grid parts have worried US security officials for years.

Washington has used a similar playbook before, pressing allies to keep Huawei and fellow Chinese telecom supplier ZTE out of new mobile phone networks and arguing that Beijing could force the companies to spy or sabotage.

Both were later blacklisted by US regulators.