US Orders All Federal Civilian Agencies to Remove China's DeepSeek AI

The US Department of Homeland Security published an order in the Federal Register on October 20, 2026, requiring all federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products and any third-party software built on DeepSeek technology from government IT systems and to halt new purchases. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin signed the order under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. The department warned that DeepSeek presents multiple threat vectors, including collection of personally identifiable information during account creation, potential digital fingerprinting of users, and the risk that sensitive data from US government users could be accessed by Chinese authorities under Chinese law. The October 2026 order extended restrictions that had previously applied only to intelligence and national security systems under a law enacted in December 2025. Agencies can apply for exceptions. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected the move, accusing Washington of overstretching the concept of national security and politicising technology and trade issues, and pledging to protect the rights of Chinese enterprises. The story remained among the most-read technology and security stories across major outlets through October 23.