Pentagon Designates Confucius Institutes a National Security Threat, Leading to Dismantling at Universities

The U.S. Department of Defense has officially designated Confucius Institutes, Chinese-funded cultural centers on university campuses, as a threat to national security. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the Pentagon added these organizations to its list of institutions threatening national security, stating that 80 "propaganda cells" operating under new names at 30 universities have been systematically dismantled.