Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed two lawsuits accusing a drone company and a smart home device maker of hiding ties to China and putting Americans' data at risk.
In separate filings in US District Court for Collin County, Paxton alleged that Anzu Robotics misled consumers by presenting itself as a Texas-based, American-owned drone maker while allegedly selling rebranded drones from DJI, a company blacklisted by the US government over national security concerns.
The lawsuit claims Anzu's drones are "DJI drones in all but name," using the same hardware, firmware, and software, with only cosmetic changes.
According to Paxton's office, Anzu failed to disclose its relationship with DJI and falsely claimed its products were not tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
"Anzu Robotics products are nothing more than a 21st century trojan horse linked to the CCP," Paxton said in a statement, SuasNews reported.
He added that his office is taking "targeted actions against CCP-aligned companies" to protect Texans from foreign influence and data risks.
The US government has taken steps in recent years to restrict DJI. The Commerce Department has placed export limits on the company, and in 2021, the Treasury Department identified DJI as one of several firms supporting surveillance of ethnic and religious minorities in China.
Texas AG sues drone giant for Chinese Communist Party ties: Is your hobby drone a security risk? https://t.co/T2w664LjXH pic.twitter.com/0QOTOauCWe
— New York Post (@nypost) February 19, 2026
Texas Sues TP-Link Over Alleged China Supply
In January 2025, the Department of War also labeled DJI as a company directly supporting the Chinese Communist Party, according to legal documents.
Paxton's office alleges that DJI used Anzu as a passthrough entity to continue selling its technology in the United States under a different name, bypassing restrictions.
In a separate lawsuit filed earlier this week, Paxton sued TP-Link, which sells Wi-Fi routers and smart home devices.
According to NY Post, the complaint claims TP-Link labeled products as "Made in Vietnam" while maintaining a supply chain "deeply entrenched in China," exposing consumers to cybersecurity risks and potential access by Chinese hacking groups.
A spokesperson for TP-Link denied the allegations, stating, "The claims made by the Texas Attorney General's office are without merit and will be proven false."
The company said its CEO, Jeffrey Chao, lives in California and that its core operations are based in the United States.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has updated the state's list of prohibited companies to include both DJI and TP-Link, according to court documents.
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