U.S. Orders Federal Agencies to Remove DeepSeek Products

The U.S. government has directed civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek artificial intelligence software and related services from their technology systems, according to TechRadar. The directive cites concerns that the Chinese company’s technology could expose sensitive information to foreign intelligence operations.

The order covers applications that incorporate DeepSeek models and purchases from affiliates or other developers using those models. Agencies must also remove affected offerings from federal procurement catalogs and supplier inventories. It does not establish a nationwide ban on individuals downloading or using DeepSeek. Military and intelligence organizations are excluded because they operate under separate procurement authorities.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin authorized the measure after a recommendation from the Federal Acquisition Security Council. The directive relies on the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. Officials also cited privacy concerns related to account registration information, user monitoring and device fingerprinting, and warned that employees might disclose confidential material in prompts. NowSecure evaluations reportedly found vulnerabilities in DeepSeek’s iOS application.

Agencies seeking an exemption must apply in writing through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within 60 days. Applications must identify the products, explain the operational or national security need, and propose safeguards. The notice is listed in the Federal Register under docket DHS-2026-0628. The supplied account does not establish that every DeepSeek deployment has transmitted confidential U.S. information.