RELEASE: Gottheimer, LaHood Urge U.S. Governors to Ban DeepSeek from Government Devices

WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, March 3, 2025, Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) and Darin LaHood (IL-16), members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, sent letters to U.S. governors urging an immediate ban on the use and download of DeepSeek on government-issued devices.

“By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP — such as contracts, documents, and financial records,” the lawmakers wrote. “In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary. The CCP has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans. The U.S. has been a leader in raising concerns on companies tied to the CCP, most notably Huawei and Byte Dance, that pose a direct threat to our national security. Now, we have deeply disturbing evidence that the CCP could use DeepSeek to steal the sensitive data of U.S. citizens.”

On February 7, 2025, Gottheimer and LaHood introduced the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act, which would ban the use and download of the CCP’s AI software, DeepSeek, from government devices. 

Three states, Virginia, Texas, and New York have banned the software from government devices.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.

“As members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), we urge you to take immediate action to safeguard the security and integrity of your state’s governmental systems by banning the use and download of DeepSeek on all government-issued devices. 

DeepSeek has raised serious concerns regarding data privacy, cybersecurity risks, and the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive government information by our adversaries. Recent research has revealed that DeepSeek’s code is directly linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the ability to share user data with China Mobile. China Mobile, owned by the Chinese government and closely tied to the Chinese military, has been banned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use in the United States. 

By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP — such as contracts, documents, and financial records. In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary. The CCP has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans. The U.S. has been a leader in raising concerns on companies tied to the CCP, most notably Huawei and Byte Dance, that pose a direct threat to our national security. Now, we have deeply disturbing evidence that the CCP could use DeepSeek to steal the sensitive data of U.S. citizens.

As Chairman and Ranking Member of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Cyber Subcommittee, we recently introduced the bipartisan No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.3 This bipartisan bill would ban the use and download of the device on any federal government devices. Given the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, it is imperative that we prioritize the safety and security of state-operated devices, especially those that are used to access or store confidential information. We implore you to follow suit and ban the use and download of DeepSeek from all state government affiliated devices and networks. By enacting these bans, you would send a clear message that your state remains committed to maintaining the highest level of security and preventing one of our greatest adversaries from accessing sensitive state, federal, and personal information.

Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.”

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