The US orders every civilian agency to rip out DeepSeek, even tools built on it

The Department of Homeland Security has ordered every federal civilian executive-branch agency to immediately stop buying and to remove Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence products, its affiliates, and any third‑party tools built on DeepSeek models from agency systems. Issued as Exclusion and Removal Order #2026-01 (dated July 24, 2026) and filed for Federal Register notice, the directive bars DeepSeek from procurement channels and requires agencies to eliminate its software from networks, with exceptions available only by written request within 60 days and subject to review by CISA. The order excludes military and intelligence systems, tells agencies to ramp up logging and egress controls during removal, and mandates an annual review by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

The order cites risks tied to DeepSeek’s China‑based servers and Chinese laws that could permit government access, plus sign‑up practices that collect personal data and may fingerprint users, creating a risk that sensitive U.S. information could be combined into actionable intelligence. It also flags potential malware or security flaws, noting a February 2025 audit that found critical issues in DeepSeek’s iPhone app, but does not present a documented case of government data exfiltration. Several U.S. departments and multiple foreign governments had already restricted DeepSeek; this action is the broadest U.S. move yet, forcing federal buyers and vendors to prove which underlying models their AI products use.