Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX) has raised concerns about the current posture of the United States intelligence community, arguing that existing tools and policies have failed to deter foreign threats. Writing in the Washington Examiner, Fallon highlights continued efforts by adversaries such as China, Russia, and Iran to infiltrate U.S. research institutions, conduct espionage operations, and attempt attacks against American interests.
Fallon points out that "the Chinese Communist Party continues to use talent recruitment programs to identify and task Chinese students and researchers to steal American research from taxpayer-funded research labs and universities." He also notes that Russian operatives managed to work undetected for years before being apprehended, while Iranian actors have attempted assassinations on U.S. soil.
He draws attention to cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure and claims that state-sponsored groups are preparing dual-use facilities within the United States capable of causing significant harm.
Fallon reflects on historical intelligence failures such as Pearl Harbor and 9/11, stating: "Yet, throughout our history — from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 — we have suffered devastating intelligence failures that cost thousands of American lives." He argues that despite reforms following these events, counterintelligence remains a vulnerable area.
According to Fallon, after the Cold War ended and during the Global War on Terror, focus shifted away from counterintelligence. This change led to a more defensive approach while adversaries advanced their own strategies. He criticizes recent border security measures under President Biden's administration, claiming approximately 200,000 migrants from China and Russia entered the country with minimal vetting over four years.
"It would be naive to assume our enemies would not exploit an open border, mass migration crisis, and reduced threshold for entry to embed operatives," Fallon writes. He recounts questioning FBI Director Kash Patel at a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing regarding this threat: "These counterintelligence failures are not just embarrassing for our country, but they also represent one of our greatest strategic vulnerabilities."
Fallon describes the current system as reactive rather than proactive: "For much of our history, the intelligence community has assumed a counterintelligence posture that is reactive rather than proactive." He argues for greater integration across agencies—highlighting persistent issues like competition for resources—that undermine collaboration.
"Time and again," he writes, "post-incident reviews reveal that compromises or attacks succeeded not because we lacked intelligence, but because our agencies failed to share… or lacked the imagination to believe indicators of our adversary’s plans." Without addressing these cultural barriers within federal bureaucracy, he warns there is risk of another catastrophic failure akin to Pearl Harbor or 9/11.
As a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR), Fallon says his colleagues are seeking policy solutions aimed at encouraging a more offensive counterintelligence stance. He calls for unity among government agencies: "We need a greater whole-of-intelligence community approach…to confront our enemies… We must bring government together…and get everyone rowing in the same direction."
Fallon concludes by emphasizing urgency: "By acting now, we can protect American research, infrastructure, and innovation and ensure we never again find ourselves surprised by an adversary we could have stopped."
Pat Fallon represents Texas’s 4th Congressional District in Congress. He serves on several committees including Intelligence.
