Microsoft cuts off China-based engineers from US military support after scrutiny

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft has announced it will no longer allow engineers based in China to provide technical support for US military projects. The decision came after a ProPublica investigation raised concerns about national security and prompted a two-week review ordered by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The report revealed that Microsoft had employed China-based engineers to work on cloud systems used by the Pentagon. These engineers were supervised remotely by US “digital escorts” — subcontractors with security clearances but often lacking deep technical expertise to properly vet the work for cybersecurity risks.

Following the revelations, Microsoft clarified that it had disclosed these practices during its authorisation process with the US government. On Friday, company spokesperson Frank Shaw said on X (formerly Twitter) that Microsoft had changed its internal policies in response to the concerns, ensuring that no technical assistance for the Pentagon would come from China-based teams.

Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, had earlier raised the alarm in a letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth. He asked for a list of defence contractors employing Chinese personnel and details on how the digital escorts were trained to spot possible threats.

Cotton warned that China’s cyber capabilities remain one of the greatest dangers to US security, citing repeated intrusions into critical infrastructure, telecom networks, and supply chains. He stressed that even subcontractors must be closely monitored to prevent vulnerabilities in the military’s supply chain.

In a video message on X, Hegseth confirmed that a full review was under way to check whether any China-based engineers were involved in other cloud service contracts across the Department of Defense. He also announced an immediate ban on any further Chinese involvement.

“China will no longer have any involvement whatsoever in our cloud services,” Hegseth said. “We will continue to monitor and counter all threats to our military infrastructure and online networks.”

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