The Trump administration has banned Chinese AI startup DeepSeek from U.S. civilian government agencies, citing security concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security on Monday issued an order requiring federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek-related technology from their IT systems and prohibit procurement of DeepSeek products and services. The ban applies to federal civilian agency IT systems, including third-party products and services developed using the company’s technology.
The move comes amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, with artificial intelligence emerging as a key battleground in the competition for technological superiority between the two countries.
The order, originally issued on July 24, applies to federal civilian agencies including the Treasury Department, State Department, and Justice Department, but excludes the Department of Defense.
Since DeepSeek proliferated in early 2025, several US government agencies have imposed various restrictions.
Congress restricted the use of DeepSeek in intelligence community systems in December 2025. Earlier that year, in March, U.S. Department of Commerce bureaus told employees they would be prohibited from using DeepSeek on government devices, Reuters reported at the time. Bloomberg reports that the Defense Information Systems Agency took action to block access to DeepSeek models in January 2025.
The latest DHS order states that DeepSeek’s AI models “present multiple threat vectors,” citing concerns about possible access to sensitive data by Chinese authorities and potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
The agency also warned that the use of DeepSeek’s AI models could transfer sensitive U.S. government data to China, providing information about U.S. citizens and government programs.
The agency cited open source research that found multiple critical vulnerabilities in DeepSeek’s iOS app and said the model could contain malware and other security vulnerabilities.
An agency may request an exception to an order, including a delay in compliance, by providing written justification to DHS within 60 days of issuance of the order.
DeepSeek and the Chinese Embassy in the UK did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
