Pentagon demands audit of 30 universities, investigating Russian, Chinese, Iranian research ties

The US Defense Department has formally notified 30 American universities to conduct comprehensive audits of their collaborations with foreign entities of concern, defined as 130 research institutes based in Russia, China, and Iran. The department did not publicly name the schools, but a US official provided a list to Fox News including Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, and NYU. The audits must be completed by August 31. The action is part of ongoing scrutiny of foreign research ties, including a separate investigation into Harvard's collaborations with Chinese institutions.

The US Defense Department has formally notified 30 American universities, directing them to conduct a comprehensive audit of their academic, financial, and research collaborations with foreign entities of concern. The department defines these as institutions listed under Section 1286 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, as well as organizations associated with the rebranded Confucius Institutes. The list includes 130 research institutes based in Russia, China, and Iran, including civilian universities. The 30 US universities must complete the audit, assess exposure of sensitive research, and implement mitigation plans, including terminating problematic partnerships, with findings due by August 31. The department did not publicly name the institutions, but a US official provided the list to Fox News, which includes Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, NYU, and others. The department is coordinating with congressional committees. The action is part of ongoing scrutiny of how China uses American research, including a review of AI model outputs. Separately, an investigation into Harvard alleges it failed to safeguard collaborations with Chinese institutions and received over $600 million from China under the federal Section 117 foreign-gift disclosure system.