Mere weeks into Donald Trump’s second term, scientists at a major research conference voiced concerns over sweeping federal funding cuts, layoffs and the politicization of research.
Raymond Zhong reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Trump administration has proposed deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, which fund thousands of research projects.
- Scientists at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Boston described widespread anxiety over job losses and threats to university research programs.
- Climate science has faced specific targeting, with federal agencies reviewing grants for terms like "climate crisis" and "clean energy."
Key quote:
"Feeling attacked just on the basis of doing science in the world? That’s a hard thing to sit with."
— Aurora Roth, doctoral student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Why this matters:
Federal funding is the backbone of U.S. scientific research, supporting breakthroughs in medicine, technology, environmental health and climate science. Cuts to agencies like the NIH and NSF could slow progress on disease treatments, environmental protections and technological innovation. Political interference in research priorities risks sidelining urgent scientific challenges, particularly in climate science. If universities scale back research, the long-term consequences could weaken U.S. leadership in science and innovation.
Related: Opinion: Science in the U.S. faces growing political interference
