"Under President Donald Trump, the US government is gutting scientific research. The National Institutes of Health has cut almost US$2 billion of grants that were already approved, and the National Science Foundation has terminated more than 1,400 grants. And the president has even bigger plans to eviscerate science. His proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 would cut non-defence-related research and development by 36%."
"The US funding cuts will hit basic research particularly hard because the government has historically been the prime supporter of fundamental research. The private sector will never invest enough in such research, says Holdren. 'The timescale for returns is too long and the ability of the funder to capture those returns too uncertain,' he says. 'That's the reason that the funding of fundamental research is, at its base, a responsibility of government.'"
The US government is cutting billions from scientific research, including almost US$2 billion of approved NIH grants and termination of more than 1,400 NSF grants. The proposed 2026 budget would reduce non-defence research and development funding by 36%. Many research projects have been cancelled in midstream, affecting both applied work with stated commercial uses and basic 'blue skies' research intended to develop new knowledge. Basic research generates high societal returns, often multiple dollars back per dollar invested. Federal funding has been the primary supporter of fundamental research because private investors avoid long timescales and uncertain capture of returns. Reduced federal support threatens future discoveries and economic growth.
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