Pentagon Orders 30 US Universities to Audit Foreign Ties

The Pentagon has ordered 30 US universities to audit their partnerships with foreign institutions, mostly Chinese universities and military training institutions, to protect taxpayer-funded research from theft and exploitation. The universities have two weeks to complete the review and terminate any arrangements deemed problematic, or they face losing funding.

The goal of the audit is to protect taxpayer-funded research from unauthorized technology transfers, intellectual-property theft, and exploitation by foreign adversaries. The Pentagon has released an updated list of 130 foreign institutions accused of engaging in activities that increase the likelihood of US government-funded research being misappropriated.

The list of foreign institutions includes mostly Chinese institutions, as well as several Russian and Iranian institutions. The universities ordered to conduct the review include Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Cornell, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Diego, Penn State University, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, Duke University, and New York University.

Emil Michael, the Pentagon’s chief technology officer, said the Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise national security. The deadline for the universities to complete the review and report is August 31.

## Why it matters The order comes as the Trump administration scrutinizes the country's growing global influence, particularly with regards to China. The Pentagon's move is aimed at protecting US national security and preventing the misuse of taxpayer-funded research. The universities affected by the order are among the most prestigious in the US, and the loss of funding could have significant consequences for their research programs.

The audit is a significant step in the US government's efforts to prevent the theft and exploitation of its research and technology. The updated list of 130 foreign institutions accused of engaging in activities that increase the risk of US-funded research being misappropriated highlights the scope of the problem. The universities have a short window to complete the review and terminate any problematic partnerships, and the outcome will be closely watched by the academic and research communities.