Microsoft says it will no longer use engineers in China for Department of Defense work

In light of a Pro Publica investigation revealing that Microsoft had employed engineers in China to assist with maintaining cloud computing systems for the U.S. Department of Defense, the tech giant has announced a significant policy shift. The previous arrangement involved the oversight of these engineers by 'digital escorts'—U.S. citizens with security clearances—whose technical skills were sometimes insufficient for adequate supervision. This revelation drew sharp criticism from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who expressed strong opposition on X, stating that foreign engineers, particularly from China, should never be permitted to access or maintain Department of Defense systems. In response to the mounting concerns, Microsoft’s chief communications officer, Frank X. Shaw, confirmed that the company has implemented changes to its support structure for U.S. government clients. He emphasized that no engineering teams based in China will be involved in providing technical assistance for DoD cloud services moving forward.