Chinese devices are threatening our national security and safety, but there’s a simple solution

The recent announcement of a trade deal between the U.S. and China is making headline news. It’s a political and economic win for President Trump and his administration and it’s a clear achievement in the president’s America First policy agenda. But while the news of a trade deal with China marks a new dynamic in the U.S.-China relationship, it is still important that we recognize the fact that China continues to pose a major national security threat that no trade deal will immediately fix – especially with the use of Chinese technology by government officials, at the state and federal level, as a national security risk that must be taken seriously.

Chinese-made devices collect critical information and data which, as mandated by the Chinese government, must be shared with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). That means that our most threatening adversaries, like China in this case, could have direct access to sensitive information on U.S. citizens, government communications, military planning, and even defense and critical infrastructure systems. This self-inflicted wound presents a serious threat, yet it does not heal – it persists year after year due to the absence of clear federal direction from the U.S. government.

As someone who served on the frontlines of our homeland security, I find it baffling that we continue allowing this. We permit the U.S. government to gather and store data and conduct critical communications and defense coordination on technologies with a direct line of access to a foreign adversary through their data collection laws. This should be unacceptable.

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Every time Chinese-made devices enter our government or connect to our networks they jeopardize our national security and the safety of Americans across this great country and in battlegrounds around the world.

What’s needed now is bold action to stop this practice – something that only President Trump and today’s Congress can deliver on.

As a first step, the Trump administration should immediately consider imposing a government-wide ban across all federal agencies, like the ones I previously served in, on the procurement of computers and other interoperable devices and technologies manufactured by Chinese-domiciled companies.

In turn, Congress should also consider passing federal legislation enshrining this principal, ensuring that national security takes precedent.

Such action would protect critical government infrastructure and citizen’s data and prevent Chinese companies from inserting so-called “made in America” backdoor manufacturing policies into devices that compromise our security.

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Lawmakers need to understand the stakes, and the solution for our national security is quite simple.

President Trump is already proving his commitment to confronting China’s growing influence in U.S. foreign affairs through bold tariffs, trade deals, and a peace through strength defense strategy. From his trade policies to his efforts to decouple certain sectors of the American economy from China, he is showing the drive and willingness to take strong action.

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We cannot afford to let foreign adversaries weaken our technological foundations. Our national defense depends on secure and trustworthy systems. Allowing Chinese technology into our government’s operations undermines that security. The U.S. is far too strong a nation to be undermined by foreign-made technology designed to infiltrate and compromise our systems.

Our American future is at stake. Our way of life is at stake. And these stakes are simply far too high to do anything less. President Trump’s leadership to embolden Congress will put America first. I’m confident Congress will do what is right. American lives are on the line.