The turning point in this matter was when the leaders of the House of Representatives Special Committee on China asked the US Department of Commerce to investigate TP-Link.

Lawmakers pointed out vulnerabilities in TP-Link’s software and that the company’s routers were used to target government officials in European countries.

In a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, they say these routers pose “an unprecedented threat to national security.”

We ask the Ministry to take into consideration the threat posed by Chinese-connected routers, especially those from the world’s largest manufacturer such as TP-Link.
– writes members of congress.

The US Commerce Department has accepted the request and plans to investigate the allegations. In response, the Chinese embassy called on US officials to base their conclusions on solid evidence, not baseless assumptions and accusations.