TP-Link Seeks FCC Exemption as Lawmakers Raise Security Concerns Over Its Routers

TP-Link is asking the Trump administration to ensure that the company receives the same fair and consistent review applied to other router manufacturers seeking exemptions from U.S. restrictions.

Router manufacturers that have received exemptions so far include Netgear, Asus, Adtran, Amazon and its Eero subsidiary, Calix, Nokia, SpaceX’s Starlink division, and others.

“TP-Link called on the Trump administration to ensure that reviewers fairly apply the same consistent review standards to TP-Link that are applied to all other applicants,” the company said.

TP-Link faces scrutiny over alleged Chinese government-linked attacks

TP-Link’s move to the United States in 2024 came amid an investigation into high-profile attacks linked to the Chinese government, including a botnet made up primarily of TP-Link routers.

Russia’s GRU also compromised TP-Link routers and stole information, according to a statement from a U.S. intelligence agency in April 2026.

TP-Link is not the only router manufacturer facing security concerns. A study published this year reported that the so-called AirSnitch attack could work against routers made by Netgear, D-Link, Ubiquiti, and Cisco, as well as routers running DD-WRT and OpenWrt.

Republican lawmakers urge the FCC to take a firm stand

In a letter to the FCC last week, TP-Link said its exemption application provides “complete answers” to questions about its corporate structure, manufacturing operations, and supply chain.

“TP-Link prioritizes the security of U.S. consumer networking data. User data processed by TP-Link’s U.S. products is encrypted and stored on Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Virginia,” the company said. “And of course, TP-Link does not and will not share customer network data with foreign governments or unauthorized third parties.”

TP-Link also faces opposition from Republican state attorneys general. Attorneys general in Florida, Montana, Iowa, and Nebraska sued TP-Link this month, accusing the company of misleading consumers about its ties to China and the risk that its routers could be exploited by Chinese state hackers.

In addition, 21 Republican state legislators sent a letter to the FCC questioning TP-Link’s claims about router security and the company’s independence from China.

The lawmakers asked the FCC to provide relief for “past and ongoing violations of state law” while reviewing TP-Link’s application and to protect router users “from exploitation by the Chinese Communist Party.”