KEY POINTSThirty U.S. universities cut research ties with “entities of concern” from China, Russia and Iran.The universities’ actions were prompted by orders from the Pentagon.The Pentagon has been increasingly involved in higher education since the appointment of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.The Pentagon’s ongoing involvement with American higher education institutions continued this week with the announcement that 30 universities, at its direction, had cut research connections with “foreign entities of concern.”The Defense Department heralded the “successful completion” of its initial research security audits at the 30 unnamed U.S. universities.The higher education institutions were issued “formal notifications” last August by the DOD,…