US investigations have again surrounded Qatar's suspicious efforts to influence soft power in the United States, this time targeting questionable Qatari funding for US universities.

According to the New York Times, the investigation was launched by the US Department of Education, which began cracking down on universities that failed to disclose donations and contracts from foreign entities and governments to ensure they were not linked to terrorism.

The newspaper pointed out that the ministry called in letters to universities, in July, records dating back to nine years, specifying financial transactions with countries including Qatar and China.

Investigations into suspected Qatari funding for US universities were conducted in conjunction with the Emir's visit to the White House in July.

This summer, the US Department of Higher Education announced that it was investigating whether the universities of Georgetown, Texas A&M, Cornell and Rutgers are fully complying with federal law, which requires universities and colleges to report For all gifts and contracts from foreign sources exceed $ 250 thousand.

In letters to the universities, ministry officials said they were looking for nine-year records of agreements, contacts and financial transactions with entities and governments in countries such as China and Qatar.

This month, universities were expected to hand over thousands of records, which could reveal millions of dollars in foreign aid to support and operate overseas campuses, as well as academic research and other cultural and academic partnerships.

The ministry's spokeswoman, Liz Hill, said that the department is most concerned with "transparency", noting that they expect "colleges and universities to provide complete, accurate and transparent information, when reporting gifts and foreign contracts."

"Our national security depends on this, and transparency is required by law," she said. "Our investigation shows that the department expects institutions to take their reporting obligations seriously."

The US Department of Education's campaign comes amid increased scrutiny of "foreign influence" in recent years, be it "Russian interference" in US elections, "Chinese economic espionage" or outside efforts to influence US think tanks, as Qatar does.

During the investigation, high-level Qatari organizations and organizations, such as the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which help fund US universities in the country, were repeatedly mentioned.

But the ministry said universities sometimes omitted documents. For example, reports from Texas A&M should have included its Qatar campus, which receives millions of dollars from the Qatar Foundation. Several universities and colleges, under investigation, have “praised” their partnerships with Qatar Foundation.

In June, the Associated Press revealed that the Qatar Foundation provided $ 33 million in 2018 to Georgetown University. In the same period, it also provided $ 6.1 million to Texas A&M University.

The disclosure does not seem to suit Qatar, where its lawyers last year filed a lawsuit in Texas in an attempt to prevent Texas A&M University from issuing records on Doha donations, arguing that these donations amount to Trade Secrets.

It is noteworthy that the suspicion of the objectives of the Qatari funds is not new to the Americans, as media reports have revealed details of the money Doha buys the accounts of academics and media in the West, and recruiting their pens to wash their reputation, so as to reassure that things are going on the size of its agendas.

- Investigations were launched from the Ministry of Education

American, which initiated action

Strict against universities, which failed to disclose

For donations, and contracts from entities

And foreign governments, to ensure they are not connected

With terrorism.