Pentagon Designates Confucius Institutes as National Security Threat

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on October 23, 2026, in a social media video, that the Pentagon has added Confucius Institutes to its list of institutions that threaten U.S. national security. Confucius Institutes are university-based programs that receive Beijing-based funding. Hegseth alleged they operate in disguise to steal intellectual property. Pentagon's published documents do not present this allegation.