Trump administration cuts funding, threatens scientific research

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The Trump administration's deep cuts to federal scientific funding and workforce reductions have alarmed scientists, threatening America's leadership in research, according to The New York Times.

Scientists face funding crisis under Trump administration

At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston, discussions focused on existential threats like artificial intelligence and climate change. However, the most pressing concern for many scientists was the Trump administration's sweeping cuts to federal science agencies and research funding.

President Trump’s policies have resulted in layoffs at agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF), which provide essential funding for scientific advancements. University researchers worry that if these cuts continue, the US could lose its competitive edge in areas such as cancer treatment, climate science, and quantum computing.

Billions in research funding at risk

A federal judge recently blocked a Trump administration proposal to cut $4 billion from NIH. However, uncertainty remains about whether similar cuts will be implemented across other agencies. Many fear the long-term effects of reduced federal support, with Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of Science, warning that universities may scale back research if government funding is withdrawn.

Trump officials argue that the cuts aim to eliminate waste rather than research. Kelvin Droegemeier, a former science advisor to Trump, urged researchers at the AAAS conference to embrace efficiency, noting that scientists spend excessive time on regulatory requirements rather than conducting research. However, critics argue that abrupt funding reductions could destabilize the system rather than improve it.

Scientists strategize amid policy uncertainty

With 3,500 attendees at the conference, discussions centered on how to counteract the administration's policies. Some, like Mary Woolley of Research America, believe scientists should frame their arguments in terms of economic competitiveness to appeal to the administration.

Kei Koizumi, a former White House science policy official, described research as "collateral damage" in Trump’s broader crackdown on higher education institutions, driven by a political agenda rather than an outright rejection of science. Climate science, in particular, has been explicitly targeted, with agencies like NOAA instructed to review research awards for terms like “climate crisis” and “clean energy.”

Uncertain future for young scientists

The impact of these cuts extends beyond research institutions to young scientists entering the field. Aurora Roth, a doctoral candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, expressed concerns about job prospects, fearing that entire institutions might cease to exist under the administration’s policies.

Despite these challenges, some see signs of resilience. Kelly Cronin, a geology professor at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College, cited the creation of a School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability at Georgia Southern University—an institution in a conservative-leaning state—as evidence that scientific research continues to find support in unexpected places.

As federal funding faces unprecedented threats, the future of US scientific leadership hangs in the balance, The New York Times concludes.