Pentagon Probes 30 US Academic Institutions Over Foreign Ties

The US Department of Defense has directed 30 US academic institutions to immediately and comprehensively review their collaborations for ties to ‘foreign entities of concern’ under threat of losing future federal research funding.

Source: cdnph.upi.com

The Department of Defense announced the directive on Monday, giving the unidentified institutions until August 31 to report their findings in order to maintain eligibility for federal grants.

Universities are critical partners in executing a wide range of Department of War research programs, and the Department must therefore ensure that our research investments are well protected from foreign exploitation, said Joseph Jewell, assistant secretary of Defense for Science and Technology.

The audits are part of a broader effort to protect Defense Department research from foreign adversaries and follow legislation Congress passed in December 2024 as part of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act requiring annual reviews of research grants for compliance with Pentagon research-security policies.

The institutions are to review academic, financial, and research ties with entities identified under Section 1286 of the fiscal year 2019 NDAA, as well as those associated with rebranded Confucius Institutes.

The list includes 130 academic and research institutions located in China, Russia, and Iran. The list was updated last month.

The Pentagon said the audits are to protect US taxpayer-funded research from getting into the hands of adversarial nations as well as from unauthorized transfer and intellectual property theft.

It added that the audits will also aid the Department of Defense in better anticipating emerging threats and adapting to evolving adversarial tactics.

The Department of Defense has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security, Emil Michael, under secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said in a statement.

The institutions are also being directed to implement mitigation plans that include terminating what the Pentagon called ‘problematic partnerships.’

The directive comes as the US government continues to prioritize national security and protect its research investments from foreign exploitation.

As part of this effort, the Department of Defense will continue to work closely with academic institutions to ensure that their research collaborations align with US national security interests.

The audits are a crucial step in protecting US taxpayer-funded research and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands.

By taking a proactive approach to research security, the Department of Defense can better anticipate emerging threats and stay ahead of foreign adversaries.

The institutions being audited will need to carefully review their collaborations and implement mitigation plans to ensure compliance with Pentagon research-security policies.

This includes terminating any ‘problematic partnerships’ that may compromise US national security.

The Department of Defense will continue to work closely with academic institutions to ensure that their research collaborations align with US national security interests.

The audits are a crucial step in protecting US taxpayer-funded research and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands.

The Department of Defense will continue to prioritize national security and protect its research investments from foreign exploitation.

The institutions being audited will need to carefully review their collaborations and implement mitigation plans to ensure compliance with Pentagon research-security policies.

The audits are a crucial step in protecting US taxpayer-funded research and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands.