US officials back proposal to ban TP-Link routers

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has floated a proposal against the sale and use of TP-Link products in the country, citing national security concerns.

Over half a dozen federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense, have reportedly endorsed the proposal to ban TP-Link routers, which rank among the most popular home Wi-Fi devices in the US.

This isn’t the first time US officials have expressed concerns over the use of TP-Link routers in the US. The DOC initiated its investigation into the company in 2024, under the Biden administration, for potentially providing China-backed hackers with access to US infrastructure.

According to internal communications reviewed by The Washington Post, Commerce Department officials believe TP-Link’s ties to China could pose a threat to US national security. They argue that TP-Link routers collect sensitive data from American users and that the company remains accountable to Chinese authorities due to its origins.

However, since the Commerce Department first proposed the ban, no action has been taken on it. The Post notes that the DOC could still decide not to impose a ban on TP-Link, or it could reach an agreement with the company for an alternative resolution.

Although the proposal has been approved by a number of agencies, the White House’s stand on it remains unclear. In a statement to the publication, a spokesperson declined to address the matter, saying, “We are aware of active efforts by the Chinese government to exploit critical security vulnerabilities and are working with all relevant parties to assess exposure and mitigate the damage.”

Given US President Donald Trump’s recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to calm trade tensions between the two nations, it’s possible the proposal to ban TP-Link routers and other networking devices may never go into effect, a source close to the matter told The Post. One of them even said that the administration saw TP-Link as a bargaining chip in further US-China trade talks.

Meanwhile, TP-Link has strongly rejected that characterization. Company spokesperson Jeff Seedman called the suggestion “nonsensical,” adding, “Any adverse action against TP-Link would have no impact on China but would harm an American company.”

Another TP-Link representative said the company “vigorously disputes any allegation that its products present national security risks to the United States,” emphasizing that “TP-Link is a US company committed to supplying high-quality and secure products to the US market and beyond.”

TP-Link Systems, based in Irvine, California, was spun off from TP-Link Technologies, a China-based company, but still retains some of its assets in China.