newsweek.ro/international/institutele-confucius-di

The U.S. Department of Defense has labeled Confucius Institutes as national security threats, claiming they operate under different names while pursuing similar goals. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that 80 such organizations have been identified across 30 universities, allegedly aiming to steal intellectual property and influence American students. The Pentagon has reportedly dismantled these entities in recent months, although specific details about the universities and organizations involved were not disclosed. The U.S. has long viewed these institutes as tools of Chinese propaganda, raising concerns about Beijing's influence in academia and potential risks to free expression and research security.