US lawmakers on Thursday (Jan. 8) urged the Treasury Department to review an acquisition deal by a Chinese supplier of American company iRobot as the company filed for bankruptcy.
Lawmakers Rich Torres and Zach Nunn are asking Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to launch a national security review of the transaction.
The deal would give ownership of iRobot to a China-based robotics company.
They warned the deal could put sensitive American data in the hands of Beijing. Modern iRobot robotic household cleaners map homes using cameras and sensors, collecting detailed floor plans from millions of U.S. households.
The lawmakers emphasize that under Chinese law, iRobot would be forced to hand that data over to Beijing if owned by a Chinese company.
They have asked for a briefing on the review of the acquisition by early February.
iRobot is an American technology company that designs and builds consumer robots. It was founded in 1990 by three members of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s Artificial Intelligence Lab, who designed robots for space exploration and military defense. The company’s products include a range of autonomous robotic home vacuum cleaners (Roomba), floor moppers (Braava), and other autonomous robotic cleaning devices.
iRobot ran into serious trouble when Amazon failed to buy it in 2022. The deal fell apart due to U.S. and European scrutiny, leaving the company struggling with supply chain issues and cheaper competitors.
National security experts argue that tight U.S. regulations helped push iRobot into bankruptcy and closer to Chinese ownership.
The lawmakers say the acquisition deal by the Chinese company could set a dangerous precedent, warning that U.S. firms facing regulations may become easier targets for Beijing.
