US Moves to Ban TP-Link Routers Over China Security Fears

The United States government has advanced plans to ban sales of TP-Link routers following a comprehensive security review by multiple federal agencies. The Commerce Department proposal has received support from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Defense, marking a significant escalation in technology restrictions between the US and China.

TP-Link Systems, based in Irvine California, controls more than half of the American home router market by some estimates. The company spun off from its Chinese parent company TP-Link Technologies in 2022 but maintains substantial operations in China with approximately 11,000 employees compared to 500 in the United States.

Federal officials concluded that no security measures short of a complete sales ban would adequately address national security concerns. The assessment focused on TP-Link Systems’ continued ties to China and the potential for Chinese government influence over the company’s operations. Under Chinese law, companies must comply with intelligence agency requests and report security vulnerabilities to Beijing.

The ban proposal operates under regulations established during the Trump administration’s first term and expanded under President Biden. These rules empower the Commerce Secretary to block transactions involving information and communications technology from entities controlled by or subject to foreign adversary jurisdiction.

Security researchers have documented multiple instances where TP-Link routers were compromised by Chinese government-linked hacking groups. Microsoft reported last year that hacked TP-Link routers formed the majority of a covert network used by Chinese attackers to steal login credentials from sensitive customers. The company has also faced criticism for slow responses to security vulnerability reports.

The proposed ban process requires Commerce to formally notify TP-Link Systems, giving the company 30 days to respond. Commerce then has an additional 30 days to consider objections before implementing any prohibition. However, no formal notification has been issued despite the interagency approval occurring months ago.

Recent trade negotiations between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping may be influencing the timing of any ban announcement. The two leaders reached a temporary economic agreement in South Korea that reduced trade tensions. Some officials view the TP-Link situation as potential leverage in ongoing US-China negotiations.

TP-Link Systems strongly disputes the security allegations and maintains it operates independently from Chinese government control. The company states that only US-based engineers can push software updates to American customers and that it has separated from its Chinese counterpart over the past three years. Company leadership includes chief executive Jeffrey Chao, who is pursuing US citizenship.

The Justice Department is separately investigating potential antitrust violations, examining claims that TP-Link products receive Chinese government subsidies allowing artificial pricing below American competitors. The company denies selling products below production costs.

If implemented, the TP-Link ban would represent one of the largest consumer technology prohibitions in US history, affecting millions of American households and small businesses. The action would follow the Kaspersky antivirus ban imposed last year and parallel ongoing efforts to restrict TikTok operations in the United States.

Congressional leaders from both parties have advocated for action against TP-Link. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton expressed frustration with delays in implementing restrictions, stating that continued sales of Chinese-linked networking equipment pose security risks and disadvantage American competitors.

The administration has not publicly explained the delay in moving forward with formal ban procedures despite completing the interagency review process. Recent government operations disruptions and the complexity of ongoing China trade discussions may be contributing factors to the postponement of any official action.