Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas has been awarded an A+ rating in the inaugural 2025 State Shield Scorecard, placing the state at the top of the national rankings for efforts to protect against foreign adversary influence—particularly from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The scorecard, released by State Shield, recognizes Arkansas as a national leader in defending its land, economy, and government from hostile foreign threats.
Bold Actions Against Foreign Adversary Influence
“Arkansas was the first state in the country to kick Communist China off our farmland and out of our state, and we didn’t stop there,” said Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. “We’ve taken real action to protect our land, our data, and our taxpayers from hostile foreign influence. This recognition shows that strong leadership at the state level makes a real difference in keeping our people and our economy secure.”
State Shield, a national initiative focused on identifying and countering foreign adversary influence at the state level, evaluates policies that address threats such as foreign land ownership near military installations, hostile surveillance technologies, covert lobbying, and foreign access to public data systems. Arkansas’ strong showing reflects its multi-layered approach to eliminating vulnerabilities.
Governor Sanders was also honored as Best Governor for National Security, a title recognizing her leadership in enacting sweeping, first-in-the-nation reforms designed to block foreign adversaries from gaining a foothold in Arkansas.
Strongest Prohibitions in the Nation
Under Governor Sanders’ administration, Arkansas passed what State Shield called the strongest ban on foreign adversary land ownership in the country. The legislation prevents hostile foreign governments and affiliated entities from purchasing Arkansas land and allows the state to reacquire land already purchased in violation of the law…