WASHINGTON — The U.S. is warning that China intelligence is targeting and seeking to recruit American government employees, particularly those seeking new jobs, by posing as entities offering career opportunities.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. is warning that China intelligence is targeting and seeking to recruit American government employees, particularly those seeking new jobs, by posing as entities offering career opportunities
  • Thousands of federal workers have been fired since January amid the Trump administration’s push, being carried out by the U.S. DOGE Service and Elon Musk, to scale back the size and scope of the federal government
  • The National Counterintelligence and Security Center said foreign entities, particularly those connected to China, are posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks and other networking sites in an effort to draw in current and former U.S. government employees

It comes at a time in which thousands of federal government employees are being laid off in response to the Trump administration’s wide-scale government downsizing campaign. 

In a resource sheet this week, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, which is under the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said foreign entities, particularly those connected to China, are posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks and other networking sites in an effort to draw in current and former U.S. government employees. 

”Their deceptive online job offers, and other virtual approaches, have become more sophisticated in targeting unwitting individuals with USG backgrounds seeking new employment,” the sheet reads. 

The agency goes on to say that employees should be aware of the “potential consequences of engaging” with the outreach, making a point to note that U.S. security clearance holders are legally obligated to shield classified data even after they no longer work for the federal government. 

The sheet provides red flags to look out for, such as an effort to get employees to move communication to a more secure platform and job offers presented as “limited, on-off or exclusive.” 

Thousands of federal workers have been fired since January amid the Trump administration’s push, being carried out by the U.S. DOGE Service and Elon Musk, to scale back the size and scope of the federal government. 

The warning also comes at a time of particular tension between the U.S. and China as a rapidly escalating trade war heats up between the world’s two largest economies.