Republican and Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Ron Wyden and John Cornyn, have written a letter urging President Trump to ban Americans from supporting Chinese and Russian civilian intelligence agencies. The letter highlights "glaring loopholes" in current laws that allow foreign intelligence agencies to hire consultants and buy advanced technology in the US, posing a threat to national security and foreign policy interests. No specific number is given for the number of former US operatives hired by the UAE, but it was revealed in 2019 that over a dozen were involved. The letter comes as congressional pressure mounts on the administration ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit next month.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-25,
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Story summary
US lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican John Cornyn, have written a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging the Trump administration to ban Americans from helping Chinese and Russian security agencies. The lawmakers are concerned that these foreign intelligence agencies can still hire consultants in the US and buy advanced surveillance, cyber, and artificial intelligence technology, which they use to target Americans and harm US national security. This issue came to light in 2019 when it was revealed that the United Arab Emirates had hired over a dozen former US intelligence operatives to hack dissidents and journalists. The lawmakers are calling for stricter controls, citing "glaring loopholes" in current regulations that were supposed to be implemented in 2022, but have not yet been finalized.
Written for “US China Security Aid Ban” on 2026-08-31,
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Leaning score withheld for article 2249: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-08-27
US lawmakers urge Trump to ban Americans from aiding Chinese security agencies
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 - Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to bar American citizens and businesses from supporting Chinese and Russian civilian intelligence and security agencies.
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lawmakers → urge → agencies
Congress approved a law in 2018 banning Americans from providing support to foreign military intelligence agencies but leaving the door open to such aid for similar civilian-led organizations.
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Congress → approve → organizations
In 2019, Reuters revealed the United Arab Emirates had hired over a dozen former U.S. intelligence operatives to hack dissidents, journalists, and Americans, shining a spotlight on the issue.
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Emirates → reveal → issue
Rules implementing a 2022 congressional measure to bolster controls have not yet been finalized, leaving "glaring loopholes that harm U.S. national security and foreign policy interests," Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican John Cornyn wrote in a letter addressed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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Wyden → implement → Lutnick
"Foreign intelligence agencies in many countries can still legally hire consultants in the United States and buy advanced U.S. surveillance, cyber, and artificial intelligence technology, for use in their intelligence operations to target Americans, and operate against American national security and foreign policy interests," the senators wrote in the letter dated Tuesday.
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senators → hire → letter
The Commerce Department and the Russian and Chinese embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Department → respond → comment
The letter, not previously reported, comes as congressional pressure from both sides of the aisle mounts on the administration to take a tougher line on China ahead of a visit to Washington next month by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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pressure → report → Jinping
Republican Congressman John Moolenaar, who leads the House Select Committee on China, called on the government earlier this month to make sure chip manufacturers don't send advanced logic chips to untrusted Chinese firms.
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send → lead → firms
A decision by the Trump administration earlier this year to allow Nvidia (NVDA.O), to sell advanced AI chips to China has drawn fire from both parties.
Democratic Senator Peter Welch, Republican Congressmen Michael McCaul and Pat Harrigan and Democratic Congresswoman Sara Jacobs also signed the letter. REUTERS
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Welch → allow → letter
