A policy essay argues that U.S. universities should be treated and fortified as national‑security assets, urging federal and institutional action to protect research, talent pipelines and critical infrastructure. The author, Brian L. Heuser, frames universities’ roles in workforce development, advanced research, and diplomatic soft power as strategic national interests. The piece calls on policymakers to increase investments in basic research, secure campus research facilities, streamline visas for international scholars, and bolster public‑private partnerships. It cites threats ranging from foreign influence operations to talent flight as reasons for a coordinated national strategy. University research offices, federal agencies, and congressional staff are likely to weigh these recommendations in upcoming appropriations and oversight cycles; the argument places higher education squarely within security and industrial‑policy discussions now shaping funding decisions.