Pentagon Orders Audits of U.S. Universities Over China Partnerships

The Pentagon has ordered 30 U.S. universities to conduct audits of their academic partnerships with mostly Chinese institutions within two weeks, citing national security concerns. The move comes as the Trump administration intensifies scrutiny of China's influence in the Americas. Harvard, MIT, and Johns Hopkins are among the universities under review, though they have not responded to inquiries. Sarah Spreitzer of the American Council on Education criticized the order, arguing it unfairly targets institutions that helped create the initial list of problematic foreign universities. The Pentagon argues the audits are necessary to protect taxpayer-funded research from exploitation. China's embassy has condemned the move as 'politicizing' normal academic exchanges. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is investigating whether Harvard is allowing Chinese donors to create scholarships that exclude American students. These developments highlight the Trump administration's growing concerns about China's activities in the region and the potential liability for U.S. universities with pre-existing partnerships.