US Order Requires Agencies to Remove Third-Party DeepSeek Tools

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has ordered federal civilian agencies to remove third-party tools built using DeepSeek technology from their IT systems, bringing products sold by other vendors within the directive’s reach.

The order also bars those agencies from buying information technology products and services developed by DeepSeek or its affiliates. Its removal requirement covers DeepSeek and affiliate products already in agency systems, as well as third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations.

The order took effect in late July and was made public Oct. 19. It was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 after a recommendation from the Federal Acquisition Security Council.

The directive applies to civilian executive branch agencies, including the Treasury and Justice departments. Defense Department systems fall outside this civilian order. DeepSeek makes AI models available for outside developers to deploy, allowing the technology to appear inside products sold under other companies’ names.