Pentagon designates China-backed campus cultural centers a threat to US national security

Washington has long accused Confucius Institutes of being Chinese propaganda tools and has taken steps to crack down on them. Hegseth, in a video posted on social media, alleged that these institutes were operating under disguise at US universities.

Systematic dismantling

The defense department over the past two months has systematically dismantled every single one of these organizations, Hegseth said. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding these allegations.