The U.S. Has Shut DeepSeek Out of Government Systems

The Trump administration has barred Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek from civilian U.S. government agencies, citing risks that its technology could expose sensitive government data to Chinese authorities and introduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The Department of Homeland Security has made public an order requiring federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek-related technology from their information technology systems and prohibiting them from procuring the company’s products and services. The restrictions also cover third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek’s technology.

The move comes as Washington and Beijing intensify their competition over artificial intelligence, a technology increasingly central to national security, economic competitiveness and technological leadership.

Asked about the U.S. action by Reuters, China’s foreign ministry said it would safeguard the rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Mao Ning, a ministry spokesperson, said that “China consistently opposes the over-generalization of national security as well as the politicization of science, technology and trade issues,” Reuters reported.

The order, originally issued on July 24, applies to civilian federal agencies, including the Treasury, State and Justice departments, but excludes the Department of Defense.

U.S. government restrictions on DeepSeek have expanded since the startup attracted global attention in early 2025 with AI models that challenged assumptions about the cost and resources required to develop competitive systems.

In December 2025, Congress restricted DeepSeek’s use in intelligence community systems. In March that year, U.S. Commerce Department bureaus told staff the company’s technology was banned on government devices, Reuters reported at the time. The Defense Information Systems Agency also moved to block access to DeepSeek models in January 2025, according to Bloomberg.

DeepSeek’s AI models “present multiple threat vectors,” the latest DHS order states, citing concerns that Chinese authorities could gain access to sensitive data and that the technology could contain cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The department warned that using the models could result in sensitive U.S. government information being transferred to China, potentially exposing intelligence about American citizens and government programmes.

DeepSeek’s models could also contain malware or other security weaknesses, DHS said, citing open-source research that identified multiple critical vulnerabilities in the company’s iOS application.

The order allows executive agencies to seek exceptions, including extensions to compliance deadlines, by submitting written justifications to DHS within 60 days of the order’s issuance.

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