American Journalist Charged with Acting as Foreign Agent for China

<p>An American journalist, Thomas Pauken II, has been charged with acting as a foreign agent for the Chinese government without notifying the attorney general. The charges were filed by the Justice Department and allege that Pauken worked for a member of China's Ministry of State Security from 2019 to 2026.</p><p>Pauken, who has been residing in China since 2010 and works for the Chinese state media outlet Xinhua News, was arrested following an FBI sting operation in February 2026. According to court documents, he met with an unidentified employee of the Trump administration in Washington, D.C., where he provided a SIM card and offered a $10,000 bonus for the employee's cooperation with a Ministry of State Security agent.</p><p>The FBI's affidavit states that the employee would be compensated through a fake nonprofit and would produce reports for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting was recorded, and Pauken expressed concerns about being targeted in a sting operation during the discussion.</p><p>Pauken had previously met with the same official in the summer of 2023. The FBI claims that Pauken was paid for information and was instructed to purchase a phone and laptop for the individual. Pauken reportedly believed that the individual would provide classified information if hired by the Trump administration.</p><p>His attorney, Charles Burnham, clarified that Pauken is not charged with espionage or mishandling classified information, but rather for failing to register as a foreign agent. The FBI alleges that Pauken received $100,000 for his work, which included meeting potential sources and producing reports.</p><p>Pauken reportedly used the alias Tom McGregor in China to distance himself from his father, who is a former chair of the Texas Republican Party and worked in the Reagan administration.</p>