The Pentagon designated China-backed cultural centers on U.S. campuses as a national security threat
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Pentagon designated Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes on university campuses a national security threat. He called them “sleeper organisations,” saying they operated under new names after Congress restricted them. Hegseth said the Pentagon dismantled 80 groups operating at 30 universities and accused the programs of stealing research and spreading propaganda.
More context
The Pentagon has designated Confucius Institutes, Chinese-funded cultural centers on U.S. university campuses, a threat to national security, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday, Oct. 23. Hegseth called them “Chinese government-backed propaganda cultural programs” and “sleeper organizations.” Congress had restricted the institutes, but similar groups continued to emerge under new names, he said. Hegseth said the Pentagon had dismantled 80 groups operating at 30 universities. NTD Television reported that he accused the programs of stealing research and spreading Chinese propaganda. The institutes were presented as Chinese language and culture centers and opened on U.S. campuses in 2004, NTD reported. They expanded to about 100 and also operated in elementary, middle and high schools before Congress restricted funding, prompting widespread closures, the outlet said. Washington has long accused the centers of serving as propaganda tools.
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Reporting
- Al Jazeera — Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threat | Education News | Al Jazeera
- The Guardian — Pentagon designates China-backed campus cultural centers a threat to US national security
- NTD Television — Confucius Institutes in US Designated a National Security Threat by Pentagon | NTD
- arabnews.jp — US Defense Department designates China’s Confucius Institutes a national security threat
- Firstpost — US designates Confucius Institutes as 'national security threat'; Hegseth calls them 'sleeper orgs'
- Washington Examiner — Hegseth announces dismantling of Chinese ‘sleeper organizations’ at universities
Verifier’s note
Multiple publishers report that the Pentagon designated Confucius Institutes on U.S. university campuses a national security threat, matching the proposed event. The reports were published within the past 24 hours.