Key facts
- The Pentagon has ordered 30 U.S. universities to audit their research partnerships with foreign institutions, primarily Chinese.
- Universities must complete the audit and terminate problematic arrangements within two weeks to retain Pentagon funding.
- The directive aims to prevent the theft and exploitation of taxpayer-funded research.
- The list of targeted institutions includes Harvard University, MIT, and Johns Hopkins University.
The U.S. Department of Defense has mandated approximately 30 American universities to conduct an audit of their research collaborations, particularly with Chinese institutions and military training entities. This directive is part of the Trump administration's broader scrutiny of China's global influence and aims to prevent the misappropriation of U.S. government-funded research and development. Universities failing to comply within a two-week deadline risk losing their funding. The Pentagon emphasized its zero tolerance for partnerships that compromise national security. While the specific list of universities was not released, sources indicated that institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins are included. The American Council on Education expressed concern that the order implies wrongdoing without evidence, noting that universities have historically cooperated with the government on research security. This action follows a previous Pentagon list of 130 foreign institutions accused of such activities. The move also occurs amidst broader U.S. concerns about China's activities in the Americas and ongoing federal inquiries into institutions like Harvard.