The Trump administration's Threat to Scientific Research
Critics argue that a proposed Trump administration rule regarding federal financial assistance threatens the decentralized nature of American scientific research. Opponents fear the rule will allow political appointees to politicize grant funding and undermine scientific independence.
Why it matters
The potential centralization of scientific funding could impact the long-term trajectory of American innovation and the impartiality of research outcomes.
In The Nationalization of American Science I warned that the Trump administration’s rewriting of the seemingly mundane Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance was a tremendous threat to America’s historically successful decentralized system of science funding. Many others are now sounding the alarm.
It’s not surprising that organizations like the AAAS oppose the rule, albeit with unusually strongly worded dissents :
This latest move is a brazen power grab by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to buck the will of Congress and the American people and will make future discoveries less likely. If this rule becomes final, Americans’ hopes for future cures, national security and economic strength will rely on the scientific sensibilities of the nation’s chief bureaucrat. Alzheimer’s disease will not be cured by a budget analyst from either political party.
But we are now seeing strong pushback from independent thinkers such as:
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in