Overview
- DHS is leading a months‑long probe dubbed Operation Red Sunset, intercepting Bitmain shipments at U.S. ports and dissecting chips and firmware.
- Officials are examining whether the Chinese‑made machines could enable espionage or disrupt the power grid, including when deployed near sensitive sites.
- The inquiry also reviews possible tariff and import‑tax violations and has drawn National Security Council attention across the Biden and Trump administrations.
- A July Senate Intelligence Committee report cited “disturbing vulnerabilities” in Bitmain devices and warned they could be controlled from China.
- Bitmain rejects the allegations and says it complies with U.S. law, while American Bitcoin—backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.—says its 16,000 Bitmain rigs cleared internal security checks.