Important Takeaways:

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested two current U.S. Army soldiers and a former soldier on charges related to the alleged sale of national defense information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Jian Zhao and Li Tian—both active-duty soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord—were taken into custody alongside Ruoyu Duan, a former soldier. Federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington handed down indictments, leading to their arrests on Thursday.
• Tian and Duan face charges of bribery and theft of government property. Zhao faces similar charges, in addition to conspiracy to transmit national defense information to unauthorized individuals.
• U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi says the defendants are accused of compromising national security. “The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” Bondi said in a statement. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
• FBI Director Kash Patel also commented on the charges. Writing on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Patel noted, “These individuals have been charged with stealing America’s defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country.”

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