Washington:US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced the presence of propaganda cells supported by China in 30 American universities.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Hegseth made this revelation in a video message on the platform “X,” where he highlighted the previous ban by the US Congress on Confucius Institutes. These institutes were described as Chinese government-backed cultural and propaganda programs that had infiltrated universities across the United States.

Hegseth reported that despite the ban, 80 new propaganda cells have emerged under different guises across 30 universities. He expressed concerns over alleged attempts by these cells to steal intellectual property or incite students against the United States. These “sleeper” organizations have now been added to the list of entities considered a threat to national security.