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1h ago

Pentagon Ends Chinese Access to DoD Cloud, Demands Audit of Microsoft 'Digital Escorts'

The directive follows ProPublica’s July report on Microsoft’s use of China-based engineers under a “digital escort” model.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 18, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/ File Photo
Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "the use of Chinese nationals to service Department of Defense cloud environments, it's over." (KEVIN WOLF/AP)
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Overview

  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the use of Chinese nationals to service Department of Defense cloud environments is over.
  • The Pentagon issued a formal letter of concern to Microsoft, citing a breach of trust tied to the support model.
  • A third-party audit of Microsoft's Digital Escorts program will review code and submissions by China-based personnel.
  • DoD opened investigations to determine whether any unauthorized or malicious code was added and to scrutinize individuals involved.
  • Hegseth directed all software vendors to identify and end any Chinese involvement in DoD systems, and Microsoft had already said it would stop using China-based technicians.