Pentagon orders security review of 30 universities into ties to 'foreign entities of concern'

The Pentagon has directed 30 US universities to conduct security reviews of their academic, financial and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern, primarily those in China, Russia and Iran. These institutions, which include prominent US colleges such as Harvard, MIT, NYU, and Georgetown, are required to complete comprehensive audits of all identified foreign collaborations, assess exposure of sensitive or export-controlled research, and implement strict mitigation plans.

Non-compliance could result in the loss of federal funding, with about $60 billion of the $70 billion annual federal funding for US colleges and universities going towards research and development. The audit comes amid heightened tensions between the US and China over artificial intelligence, with Beijing accused of intellectual property theft and research espionage through universities.

The Pentagon's move follows the Republican-led House of Representatives select committee on China's scrutiny of Beijing-related academic partnerships and President Donald Trump's administration's review of tens of thousands of US visas, many for student stays, due to national security concerns.