<p>Defense secretary Pete Hegseth alleges Confucius Institutes operating in disguise on US university campuses</p><p>The ⁠US defense department has designated Chinese-funded cultural centers on university campuses ⁠known as Confucius ⁠Institutes ​as a threat to US national security, defense secretary Pete ⁠Hegseth said on Friday.</p><p>Washington has long accused Confucius Institutes of being Chinese propaganda ⁠tools and has taken steps to ​crack down on them.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/23/pentagon-china-hegseth">Continue reading...</a>