US orders federal agencies to remove DeepSeek from their systems

What the order covers

• DeepSeek's own products
• Third-party tools built on DeepSeek
• New purchases and existing systems
• Exceptions on request

The Department of Homeland Security has told federal civilian agencies to stop buying products from the Chinese AI startup and remove them, including third-party tools built on its technology.

Why it matters

The department says sensitive data from US government users could be accessible to Chinese authorities, since DeepSeek's servers are in China.

"China consistently opposes the overstretching of the concept of national security."

— Mao Ning, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson

China's Ministry of Commerce says it will take all necessary measures, and AI is expected on the agenda when Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet in Shenzhen in mid-November.