U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, representing Alabama, has joined forces with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and other congressional members to address concerns regarding TP-Link, a networking equipment company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a letter directed to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, the group urged the department to halt sales of TP-Link equipment in the United States.
The senators expressed their apprehension over TP-Link’s business practices and its implications for national security. They stated, “TP-Link’s pricing practices have triggered a Department of Justice criminal antitrust probe. TP-Link’s predatory pricing, coupled with its circumvention of tariffs, imminently threatens U.S. competition in a market critical to our national security.” The letter highlighted that TP-Link has gained significant control over the U.S. retail router and Wi-Fi system market, capturing nearly 60 percent while allegedly expanding the CCP’s cyber capabilities.
Joining Senators Tuberville and Cotton in this initiative are Senators John Barrasso from Wyoming, Ted Budd from North Carolina, Bill Cassidy from Louisiana, Josh Hawley from Missouri, Jim Justice from West Virginia, Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming, Bernie Moreno from Ohio, Pete Ricketts from Nebraska, Jim Risch from Idaho, Eric Schmitt from Missouri, and Rick Scott from Florida. Additionally, four U.S. Representatives supported the letter.
The letter further elaborated on how Chinese state actors have reportedly used TP-Link devices for cyber-attacks within the United States. It was noted that “Chinese state actors have exploited TP-Link small and home office (SOHO) networking devices — including Wi-Fi routers, cellular gateways, and mobile hotspots — to wage cyber-attacks in the United States.”
The senators urged immediate action by stating that each day without intervention benefits the CCP while harming American competitors and compromising national security. They also commended President Trump’s Executive Order 13873 for empowering the Commerce Department to restrict transactions posing risks to U.S. security.
Senator Tuberville is a member of several Senate committees including Armed Services; Agriculture; Veterans’ Affairs; HELP; and Aging.
