Huawei on trial in US, charges confirmed

More than seven years after the investigation began and six years after the U.S. Department of Justice filed charges , U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly has rejected Huawei 's claim, meaning the Chinese company will have to defend itself in court starting in May 2026.

Sufficient evidence for trial

The case began in 2018 during Donald Trump 's first term, when the Department of Justice charged Huawei with stealing trade secrets and intellectual property from six U.S. companies. The 16 charges include racketeering, bank fraud, and violating trade sanctions against Iran.

Through its subsidiary Skycom , Huawei has been cooperating with Iranian companies in transactions with a U.S. financial institution. Meng Wanzhou , Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in 2018 for bank fraud after she told the financial institution that Skycom was a business partner of Huawei. She was released in 2021 after admitting her guilt.

In early November 2024, the Chinese company asked to dismiss 13 of the 16 charges. Judge Ann Donnelly denied the request, as the Department of Justice had provided sufficient evidence to prove that Skycom was operating as an Iranian subsidiary and that Huawei benefited from the transfer of more than $100 million through the U.S. financial system.

Huawei had accused the US government of “ economic bullying ” and using national security as a pretext to target Chinese companies. There is no immediate comment on the judge’s decision. According to Reuters, the first court hearings are scheduled for May 4, 2026. The trial will last several months.