Joseph Jewell

Stories

Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threat

Oversaw the research security audits of 30 universities

The Pentagon designated Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes a national security threat on October 23, 2026, after saying it had dismantled 80 programs that re-formed under new names at 30 US universities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called them "propaganda cells" with "the same mission: to steal intellectual property and to infiltrate the minds of American students."

Updated Oct 29

Notable Quotes

These academic institutions that went above and beyond deserve immense credit for setting the benchmark in domestic research security.

from Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threat · Updated Oct 29

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.

from Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threat · Updated Oct 29

Rather than settling for minimum compliance, these institutions took bold, self-initiated steps to protect their labs, faculty, and intellectual property from foreign exploitation.

from Pentagon designates Confucius Institutes a national security threat · Updated Oct 29