US Weighs Action Against China-Connected Router Giant TP-Link

The Trump administration is considering whether to take a major step toward restricting the US operations of TP-Link Systems Inc., a China-linked router-maker whose Wi-Fi equipment is popular in the American market, according to people familiar with the matter. 

The US government is weighing whether to issue an “initial determination” that TP-Link poses a national security threat following an investigation into its China ties that began last year, the people said. The assessment has been ready for some time but in recent weeks there’s been a flurry of activity to move it forward, according to the people. Such a finding would put TP-Link one step closer to potentially having its US operations restricted or banned. 

The intensifying focus on TP-Link comes ahead of a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping at the end of the month. This week, China unveiled new restrictions on its export of rare earths, shoring up leverage ahead of the talks. Meanwhile, US advocates of a hard line on China fear Trump is softening his approach toward Beijing as he pursues a trade deal.

TP-Link is facing growing scrutiny in Washington over its connection to China, with lawmakers from both parties expressing concern that its wireless equipment could be exploited by Chinese hackers following a series of attacks on its routers. In May, more than a dozen Republican lawmakers, including Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, called for a US ban on further sales of TP-Link products.

Trump signed an executive order in 2019 creating the authority being used to investigate TP-Link, though it has been rarely invoked. It grants the Commerce Department sweeping powers to bar information and communications technology firms linked to foreign adversaries from operating in the US if they’re found to pose an “unacceptable risk” to national security. 

TP-Link would get an opportunity to challenge any findings before a final determination is made. 

A TP-Link spokeswoman said in a statement that the company “will continue to work closely with Commerce to resolve any concerns, including mitigating any risks that the Commerce Department may cite. We are confident that Commerce’s review will conclude with the security of TP-Link’s operations and products recognized.” 

White House spokespeople didn’t respond to requests for comment. A Commerce Department spokesperson said the agency doesn’t comment on active enforcement matters, or confirm or deny the existence of any pending investigations.

Founded in China nearly three decades ago, TP-Link has recently accelerated efforts to distance itself from its origins. The company last year completed a split into two separate entities: an American unit headquartered in Irvine, California, and a Chinese unit based in Shenzhen. While the US-based entity has pledged to make significant investments in the US, it still has substantial operations in mainland China, Bloomberg News found in an investigation published in April.

Before the split, TP-Link was the world’s largest provider of consumer Wi-Fi equipment, according to market research firm IDC. Its routers, which relay information from the internet to devices such as computers and smartphones, are widely sold through retailers including Amazon.com Inc. and Best Buy Co., and can be found in homes and small businesses across the country.

TP-Link routers were among the various brands — including American ones — exploited by Chinese state-sponsored hackers who launched the massive Volt and Salt Typhoon attacks that targeted US critical infrastructure, US officials have said.

There’s no evidence that TP-Link was complicit in any of the attacks and the company has said that it hasn’t been able to verify how its devices were affected, if at all. 

In addition to the Commerce probe, the US is conducting a criminal antitrust investigation into TP-Link’s pricing strategies and whether the company’s growing US market share represents a threat to national security, Bloomberg reported in April. 

With assistance from Shawn Donnan, Catherine Lucey and Jennifer A. Dlouhy.

©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

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