Trump Administration Orders Ban on China's 'DeepSeek' in Federal Agency Systems

The Trump Administration has ordered federal government agencies to remove AI models developed by Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek. The ban covers not only products developed directly by DeepSeek but also services that use related technology.

On October 19 local time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued guidance containing these measures on the Federal Register website, Bloomberg and other outlets reported. Under the guidance, federal agencies must remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems, and their use is completely prohibited.

DHS also prohibited the adoption of third-party services based on DeepSeek's AI models, in addition to DeepSeek's own products. It has blocked DeepSeek from participating in U.S. federal government contracts, preventing future procurement. DHS reportedly determined that DeepSeek collects sensitive user data that could be shared with the Chinese government under China's National Intelligence Law. The department also warned that the products "could contain malware or other security vulnerabilities."

DHS further directed federal agencies to monitor traffic to government websites to address potential risks posed by DeepSeek. Several federal agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the Navy, have already banned its use on devices used for government work.

The Trump Administration has introduced a series of enforcement and regulatory measures targeting Chinese technology companies and their products. In December 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also banned imports of new Chinese-made drones, as well as Chinese-made home routers, devices that connect computers, mobile phones, and smart devices to the internet.

Bloomberg said the decision "clearly demonstrates the intensifying competition between the United States and China in the field of artificial intelligence."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.