FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Researchers Warn U.S. National Security Officials of Secret Deal Giving Qatar Covert Control over Nuclear & Weapons Development Research at Texas A&M

ISGAP research exposes Qatar’s undisclosed billion-dollar funding to Texas A&M in return for full Qatari ownership of over 500 research projects.

ISGAP calls for a federal investigation into foreign donations to U.S. universities and an immediate halt to associated research endeavours until full scrutiny by relevant security and regulatory bodies and resolution of non-compliance issues.

NEW YORK, 4th January – The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) have sent an urgent letter to senior US officials revealing alarming research findings exposing Qatar’s unreported and unregulated funding to Texas A&M University. The letter, sent before the New Year holidays to senior US government officials, security agencies and legislators, and supported by a comprehensive report, reveals Qatar’s substantial ownership of nuclear research and sensitive weapon development rights at the university, warning of a serious potential threat to US national security.

According to the research, in return for over a billion dollars in funding, a substantial portion of which remains unreported and unregulated, Qatar has acquired full ownership of more than 500 research projects at Texas A&M, some of which are in highly sensitive fields such as nuclear science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotech robotics, and weapons development.

Critically, the confidential business-academic agreement uncovered in the report indicates that Qatar has been granted unprecedented control over academic research and standards, faculty, students, curriculum, and budgets at Texas A&M – one of the largest universities in America and a senior military college which hosts sensitive nuclear and weapon development research.

“This is not merely an academic concern; it is a matter of urgent national security,” warns the letter. “The gravity of this situation necessitates immediate attention and action.”

The full report details highly sensitive research projects, such as a piston reactor for nanoparticle synthesis, a semi-continuous reactor engine, and the design, manufacturing, and testing of an aperture mechanism for a solar reactor. These projects raise concerns about the misuse of advanced materials, implications for advanced propulsion systems with military applications, and dual-use capabilities in both civilian and military technologies.

“These findings pose a potential national security risk to the United States. Qatar’s control over sensitive research and its access to nuclear information are alarming, with possible consequences reaching beyond the region and impacting the world,” said Dr. Charles Asher Small, Director of ISGAP. “This situation poses a clear and present national security risk to the United States, prompting our proactive approach in sharing this critical information with several agencies.”

In an urgent call to action, ISGAP is demanding a comprehensive investigation into sensitive research funded by Qatar at Texas A&M University in both the U.S. and Qatar, including all of the 500 projects owned by Qatari groups. Simultaneously, ISGAP is urging an immediate suspension of these research endeavours until the matter is thoroughly examined by relevant security, regulatory, and oversight bodies. Furthermore, ISGAP is advocating for more regulation and oversight of research in areas crucial to national security when funded by foreign sources and the cessation of any additional Qatari Government funding, whether direct or indirect via state-owned proxies, to American universities operating in Qatar or within the United States.

In light of the potential threats posed, ISGAP is also calling for the initiation of an immediate federal government investigation into the non-reporting of foreign donations to U.S. universities. The institute emphasizes the need for swift and decisive criminal action against systematic underreporting.

The letter was sent to: Jennifer M. Granholm, Secretary of the Department of Energy; Gillian Keegan, Secretary of Education; Jose Berrios, Directives Point of Contact at the National Nuclear Security Administration; Christopher T. Hanson, Chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Texas Governor Greg Abbott; Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator for Texas; General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh II, President of Texas A&M; and Dr. Alan Sams, Executive Vice President and Provost of Texas A&M.

The full report can be accessed here.

—

Background for Press
The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) initiated the “Follow the Money” research project in 2012, focusing on the illicit funding of United States universities by foreign entities promoting anti-democratic, antisemitic ideologies, often linked to terrorism. This ongoing investigation unearthed substantial Middle Eastern funding, primarily from Qatar, to U.S. universities, previously unreported to the Department of Education (DoED) as required by law, revealing billions of dollars in unreported funds. This groundbreaking work led to a federal government investigation in 2019. Despite its close ties to the United States and other Western nations, Qatar has cultivated an extensive network of Islamist partners, hosting, supporting, and representing entities such as the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), maintaining ties with Iran, hosting the Taliban, supporting Hamas, and backing militias in Syria and Libya. ISGAP remains at the forefront of exposing and addressing these intricate issues concerning foreign funding and ideological influences within U.S. academia.

For media inquiries contact Raoul Wootliff at [email protected]