US Bans DeepSeek From Civilian Government Systems

The Department of Homeland Security is banning civilian federal agencies from using or buying products and services from DeepSeek, including third-party services built with its AI models, Reuters reports. Agencies must also remove DeepSeek products already in use, and the company is barred from federal contracts, according to Engadget.

The notice cites the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act and a review by the Federal Acquisition Security Council, and is set to publish in the Federal Register on Tuesday, CyberScoop reports. It includes a letter from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin dated June 26 ordering the exclusion, so the ban has applied for months. Agencies can request exceptions 60 days in advance with a "compelling justification".

DHS said DeepSeek's models pose "multiple threat vectors": data is stored on servers in China, where the government can demand access, and use by agencies "may result in the transfer of sensitive data" to the Chinese government. It added that the models "may contain malware or other security vulnerabilities." The order covers civilian agencies such as Treasury, State and Justice; Defense agencies are excluded, according to BBC News.

Several agencies, including the Commerce Department and the Navy, had already banned DeepSeek on government devices, as had states including New York, Tennessee and Virginia. The order follows criticism of Chinese AI firms by the Trump administration, and comes days after DeepSeek released its V4.1-Flash model.