Defense and National Security

While the U.S. government is right to prevent U.S. companies from selling advanced AI technology to the Chinese military, cutting U.S. companies off from the entire Chinese market is a cure worse than the disease. It will ultimately harm both U.S. national security and economic interests.

ITIF offered comments on evidence the UK government should draw on; short- and long-term objectives for the UK-China relationship; areas to engage with China, and areas to draw red lines; how engagement could affect other alliances; and how to assess dependencies on China while strengthening security and resilience.

The increasing presence of Chinese payment platforms in the U.S. market raises significant concerns around three risks: economic competition, censorship, and national security.

Despite the importance of protecting critical infrastructure from a growing array of digital threats, some members of Congress want to cut funding for the federal agency responsible for cybersecurity in its upcoming budget.

With the right infrastructure and vision, the United States can become a global leader in AI-enabled diplomacy. The State Department should seize this moment—not just to experiment with AI and increase organizational efficiency, but to embed AI at the core of how it conducts diplomacy in the 21st century.

Reforming the submarine cable landing license review process is essential for maintaining US leadership in global telecommunications infrastructure while ensuring appropriate national security protections.

State lawmakers are moving to restrict contracts with foreign adversaries, but many bills miss the mark—failing to reduce actual security risks while driving up costs and limiting access to key technologies. A smarter path forward would prioritize transparency, collaboration with federal agencies, and a focused strategy targeting high-risk components.

To strengthen U.S. cybersecurity leadership and effectively counter cyber threats, the administration should enhance interagency coordination with a central cybercrime database, collaborate with the private sector to address cybersecurity gaps in critical infrastructure, standardize data breach reporting, and build international coalitions for global cyber norms.

America’s leading tech companies strengthen U.S. technological superiority by making massive investments in advanced technologies like quantum computing and AI, which are crucial strategic assets in an era of intensifying competition with China.

What is needed is the political will to challenge the status quo and make a radical shift from the “marketist” approach to a “producerist” approach to the economy by focusing first and foremost on how to restore America’s advanced-industry dominance.