Brad Thor's View on Foreign Influence
Brad Thor, a bestselling thriller author and national security commentator, frames foreign influence as a systemic risk to U.S. institutions, markets, and technology supply chains. He highlights how state-linked actors, state-owned enterprises, and cross-border capital flows can shape policy, media, and critical infrastructure decisions. Thor connects these risks to the work of agencies such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews transactions for national security implications and publishes public records of its decisions and orders.
Thor's perspective draws on publicly available filings and enforcement actions, including those documented by the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC, which publish data on foreign investment screening, export controls, and anti-corruption enforcement. He points to the growing role of sovereign wealth funds and strategic funds from regions such as the Middle East and Asia in acquiring stakes in sensitive U.S. technology, energy, and defense-adjacent sectors.
Key Sectors Affected by Foreign Influence
Thor identifies technology, critical minerals, energy, and finance as the sectors most exposed to foreign influence, where foreign ownership, joint ventures, and research partnerships can affect data security and supply chain resilience. He references the CFIUS framework and related regulations that require mandatory filings for certain transactions involving critical technology, infrastructure, and sensitive personal data, noting the rise in filings as global competition intensifies.
Thor also highlights the role of foreign investment screening in the European Union and allied countries, which increasingly coordinate with U.S. authorities to review cross-border deals in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. He cites the growing use of outbound investment restrictions and entity-list controls by the U.S. government to limit access to advanced chips and equipment, as outlined in recent regulatory actions and guidance documents.
Mitigating Foreign Influence Risks
Thor advocates for stronger disclosure requirements, enhanced due diligence, and transparent reporting of foreign ownership in U.S. companies, especially in sensitive industries and media platforms. He supports reforms that increase the resources and mandate of screening bodies, improve interagency coordination, and expand public reporting of enforcement outcomes and national security determinations.
Thor emphasizes the importance of investor awareness, urging institutional and retail investors to review ownership disclosures, regulatory filings, and risk factors related to foreign state involvement in portfolio companies. He highlights tools such as the SEC's EDGAR database and CFIUS public records as essential resources for understanding the scope and nature of foreign influence in the U.S. economy, while noting that private-sector risk management and government oversight must work together to reduce vulnerabilities.