The US has opened a review into Chinese nationals’ involvement in managing sensitive cloud systems used by the military, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday.
Hegseth said he had ordered an audit of Microsoft’s work with contractors after reports that China-based technicians were helping maintain Defense Department cloud platforms.
“The use of Chinese nationals to service Department of Defense cloud environments – it’s over,” Hegseth said in a video statement.
“We’ve issued a formal letter of concern to Microsoft documenting this breach of trust, and we’re requiring a third-party audit of Microsoft’s digital escort programme, including the code and the submissions by Chinese nationals. Did they put anything in the code that we didn’t know about? We are going to find out.”
He also directed all software providers working with the Pentagon to end “any Chinese involvement in DOD systems.”
The move follows a July investigation by ProPublica that revealed Microsoft’s use of contractors in China and other countries to help maintain Pentagon cloud systems. Microsoft has since said it would stop using China-based technicians for this work.
Hegseth described the policy shift as simple logic:
“We expect vendors doing business with the Department of Defense to protect US national security ahead of profit maximisation.”
The latest news in your social feeds
Subscribe to our social media platforms to stay tuned