Марко Рубио: дипломаты США должны опровергать страхи о технологическом «kill switch»

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to refute the idea of a technological "killswitch" — the notion that Washington can remotely disable American technology abroad. The instruction is contained in a diplomatic cable dated July 16, 2026, seen by Reuters.

What is the technological "killswitch"

The "killswitch" is a fear that has spread among US allies that Washington is capable of remotely blocking or disabling American chips, equipment, and software already shipped abroad. According to Reuters, this term has spread across allied capitals since summer 2026 and has become an irritant in conversations about dependence on American technology.

The fear is fueled by discussions within the US itself about mechanisms for controlling exported advanced chips — from ideas of tracking equipment location to software restrictions. For buyers, the line between "control" and a "remote switch" is blurring, and it is precisely this image that the State Department considers harmful to trust in American exports.

What Marco Rubio instructed

Marco Rubio ordered that American envoys, in negotiations with foreign governments, dispute the "killswitch" thesis and convince partners that remote shutdown of American technology does not exist. The instruction was sent to diplomatic missions via a cable dated July 16, 2026.

• Author of the instruction — Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State
• Format — a diplomatic cable dated July 16, 2026
• Source of publication — Reuters, which reviewed the document
• Recipients — American ambassadors and diplomatic missions abroad
• The disputed term has been spreading since summer 2026

The State Department under Rubio is effectively waging a campaign against a single phrase: the cable dated July 16, 2026 instructs diplomats not so much to explain the technical side as to push the term itself out of the negotiating agenda.

According to the cable, diplomats are instructed to "push back" on the term "killswitch" itself and to dissuade allies from believing that the US can remotely shut down its technology. — from a US

State Department diplomatic cable dated July 16, 2026, seen by Reuters

Why this matters for the chip market

The dispute over the "killswitch" strikes at exports of advanced semiconductors and software, around which artificial intelligence infrastructure is built. If allies believe that purchased American "hardware" can be remotely de-energized, this will push them to seek alternative suppliers and reduce demand for US technology — exactly the outcome the State Department is trying to prevent with the cable dated July 16, 2026.

For countries building their own data centers and AI infrastructure on American chips, the question of sovereignty becomes key: any hint of external control over critical equipment turns into an argument for diversifying supplies. That is why Washington's diplomatic, rather than technical, response shows that the stakes lie precisely in how allies perceive the issue.

What this means

Washington is shifting the dispute over control of AI technologies into the plane of public diplomacy: instead of discussing technical capabilities, the State Department is fighting the formulation itself, which frightens allies and threatens US export positions.