Bipartisan lawmakers push Trump to restrict support for Chinese intelligence

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has called on the Trump administration to close loopholes allowing Americans to support Chinese and Russian civilian intelligence agencies. Existing US law bars Americans from supporting foreign military intelligence agencies, but similar civilian organizations remain outside the restrictions. What the loophole actually allows Under current rules, Chinese civilian security agencies can legally hire American consultants, buy advanced surveillance equipment, and acquire cutting-edge cyber and artificial intelligence tools from US companies. The letter frames this not as a theoretical risk but an active one. Congress tried to fix it. A 2022 measure was designed to extend export controls to cover this exact scenario, but that law has never been implemented. Lawmakers described the situation as creating “glaring loopholes” in the US national security apparatus. The letter was led by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). Also signing were Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Representatives John Moolenaar (R-MI), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA). Wyden and Cornyn said unfinished rules have left foreign agenci...