What did the US Department of Homeland Security order federal agencies to do with DeepSeek products?

Federal civilian agencies must remove DeepSeek products from their information technology systems and may not procure products or services developed by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., its affiliates or third parties using DeepSeek implementations.

Why did the United States restrict DeepSeek products in federal civilian agencies?

DHS issued the order under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 after reviewing a recommendation from the Federal Acquisition Security Council and related evidence. The article does not specify the evidence in further detail.

Does the US DeepSeek order ban private companies and individuals from using the AI service?

No. The order applies to federal civilian agency information technology systems and procurements, rather than imposing a general ban on DeepSeek use by private businesses or individuals in the United States. South Korea separately restricted access on government computers over data collection and potential information leaks.

US orders removal of China's DeepSeek products from federal civilian agencies

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Summary

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their information technology systems and barred them from procuring the products. The order, covering Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., affiliates and third-party products using DeepSeek implementations, was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. It does not ban private businesses or individuals in the United States from using DeepSeek. South Korea also restricted DeepSeek on government computers in February 2025 over data collection and potential information leaks.

Key Facts

The notice was scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday following its release Monday.
The restrictions apply to information technology products and services developed by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co. and affiliated entities.
The order also covers third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations.
The Federal Acquisition Security Council recommended the action, which DHS reviewed alongside related evidence.
South Korean foreign, trade and defense ministries blocked access to DeepSeek on government computers in February 2025.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 20, 2026 8:05 am KST

An illustration of the DeepSeek logo/ Reuters-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove products developed by Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek from their information technology systems and barred them from procuring such products, according to a federal notice released Monday.

The order, detailed in a notice scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, applies to information technology products and services developed by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co. and its affiliated entities.

The restrictions also cover third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations.

The department said the order was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 following a review of a recommendation by the Federal Acquisition Security Council and related evidence.

The order applies to federal civilian agency IT systems and procurements, rather than imposing a general ban on the use of DeepSeek products by private businesses or individuals in the United States.

The South Korean government also moved to restrict the use of DeepSeek in February 2025, with its foreign, trade and defense ministries blocking access to the Chinese AI service on government computers amid concerns over user data collection and potential information leaks.

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