What makes this ban absurd?

Practically all routers are made overseas. So unless new factories get built ASAP the U.S. is all but guaranteed to have a router shortage and a thriving grey/black market

That's missing the aspect where exceptions to the ban can be granted by the DoD or DHS, so in practice the outcome will be that effectively all routers need to appease the national security apparatus before getting FCC approval.

Right, hence the toplevel commenter's bit about "it usually signals the start of the kleptocrat activities."

Or 'appease' the palms of a few politicians.

The United States has many close allies who manufacture routers. Seeing as how we already share intelligence and military technology, banning their routers seems... inconsistent.

The part that will make it absurd is going to come when Trump suddenly greenlights some made-in-China routers because the CEO responsible made a "donation" to a "charity." Probably the presidential library.

It is concerning that given the evidence there are still people that wait for Trump’s actions to (a) make sense and/or (b) help people.

What's the US-made router that could replace foreign-made routers? Honest question