US orders DeepSeek removed from federal civilian agencies
The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products, and third-party services built on its AI models, from their systems, news reports say. Agencies may not buy DeepSeek products either. The notice was made public on 19 October 2026. The underlying order was signed on 24 July.
The short version
- 01DHS ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products and services built on its models, the South China Morning Post reports.
- 02The order also bars agencies from buying DeepSeek products, including from affiliated entities.
- 03The notice says use may send sensitive data to the PRC and that the models may contain malware or security vulnerabilities.
- 04The order was signed on 24 July and made public on Monday 19 October, the South China Morning Post says.
- 05We could not open the DHS notice itself, so this story is Reported.
At a glance
| Made public | 19 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Order signed | 24 July 2026, by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin |
| Applies to | Federal civilian agencies |
| Must remove | DeepSeek products and third-party services built on its models |
| Also barred | Buying DeepSeek products, including from affiliated entities |
| Federal Register | Notice set to publish 20 October, per Security Magazine |
| Status | Reported |
What has the US government ordered?
Citing national security concerns, the US government ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products, and any third-party services built on the Chinese AI model, from their information systems, the South China Morning Post reports.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also barred agencies from acquiring DeepSeek products and services, including those developed by affiliated entities.
Why did DHS act?
The notice says using the company's products "may result in the transfer of sensitive data to the PRC if used by US government employees or vendors", the South China Morning Post reports. It adds that the models "themselves may contain malware or other security vulnerabilities".
Security Magazine says the notice claims DeepSeek presents "multiple threat vectors" to IT systems.
may result in the transfer of sensitive data to the PRC if used by US government employees or vendors
DHS notice, as quoted by the South China Morning Post
When was the order signed?
The South China Morning Post says the underlying order was signed by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on 24 July. The notice was made public on Monday 19 October. Security Magazine says it is set to publish in the Federal Register on 20 October.
What did DeepSeek and China say?
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the South China Morning Post says. We found no DeepSeek statement.
Why does it matter?
It shuts a popular Chinese AI model out of US federal systems and out of the tools federal suppliers build on it. DeepSeek shook up global markets and the AI industry in 2025 with its R1 model, and has faced scrutiny from Washington since.
What's next?
Agencies now have to find and remove DeepSeek and anything built on it. We could not open the DHS notice itself, so we will update this page if its text differs from the reports.
Questions people ask
What did DHS order?
Federal civilian agencies must remove DeepSeek products and services built on its models, and may not buy them, news reports say.
When was it announced?
The notice was made public on 19 October 2026. The order was signed on 24 July, the South China Morning Post says.
Why was DeepSeek banned?
The notice says use may send sensitive data to the PRC and that the models may contain malware or security vulnerabilities.
Has DHS confirmed it?
Reports say the order comes from DHS. We could not open the notice itself, so this story is labelled Reported.
Sources
- PrimarySouth China Morning Post, the report this story follows: US orders DeepSeek removed from federal systems, citing national security risks (20 Oct 2026)
- CoverageSecurity Magazine: DHS Banning DeepSeek from US Federal Civilian Agencies (19 Oct 2026)
Why "Reported"? We label a story "Reported" when only the media have it so far. Spotted an error? Email hello@openloopnews.com and we will correct it.
