US Orders Removal of DeepSeek from Federal Civilian Systems

The US Department of Homeland Security ordered this Tuesday (20/10/2026) that all federal civilian agencies remove the technology of the Chinese company DeepSeek from their systems and block new acquisitions. The information was published by the Wall Street Journal and quickly echoed in specialized outlets such as CryptoSlate. The measure directly affects the use of models and tools from DeepSeek in American government bodies, at a time of growing technological tension between Washington and Beijing. The order applies to administrative and operational systems, but it was not detailed whether there are exceptions for research or security areas.

This is not the first time the US government acts against DeepSeek. The company had already been targeted by restrictions in state instances and investigations into alleged risks to national security. The new directive, however, has federal reach and mandatory character, which represents a significant hardening in the official stance. For the agencies, the order implies auditing systems, identifying dependencies on Chinese technology and replacing solutions with alternatives considered secure. The deadline for compliance was not disclosed, but the determination is already in effect since publication.

The measure occurs in a context of broader review of AI supply chains in the US, with focus on protecting sensitive data and critical infrastructure. Although DeepSeek has not commented officially until the publication of this matter, the company had previously stated that it follows local laws and that its operations are transparent. The federal order, however, should accelerate the adoption of internal policies in other agencies and even in state governments. The commercial impact for DeepSeek is still uncertain, but the restriction in the largest technology market in the West represents a relevant obstacle for its global expansion.