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Trump Administration Cuts Off NSF Funding, Sparks Outcry from Scientific Community

WASHINGTON, D.C. — May 27, 2025 In an unprecedented escalation of federal interference in research, the Trump administration has ordered the National Science Foundation (NSF) to immediately suspend all new and ongoing research funding, while capping indirect cost reimbursements at 15%. This sweeping freeze—effective May 2, 2025—has paralyzed the U.S. research engine and prompted alarm across the scientific community.

According to Scientific American, thousands of scientists are suddenly without support, and the NSF’s grant award system has gone dark. “This is the most aggressive federal rollback of science funding in modern history,” said one university research officer. The administration has provided no detailed rationale, offering only a vague assurance that funding is on pause “until further notice.”

The freeze follows a series of coordinated cuts across major federal agencies. Earlier this year, the NIH and DOE introduced similar caps, though both were subsequently blocked by federal courts. The NSF’s actions remain in effect and are compounded by a proposed 56% budget cut in FY2026—reducing the agency’s funding from $8.8 billion to $3.9 billion.

As reported by Inside Higher Ed, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Forbes, and Scientific American, the freeze appears aimed at reshaping federal science priorities by dismantling what the administration calls “politicized” or “ideologically captured” research domains—including projects related to climate science, public health, and DEI.

“This is not just fiscal austerity; it’s strategic suppression,” wrote Michael T. Nietzel in Forbes. Critics warn that the move will severely damage America’s global scientific leadership and devastate early-career researchers. Scientific associations and university presidents are preparing legal challenges and congressional appeals.

*Sources:
*https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/under-trump-national-science-foundation-cuts-off-all-funding-to-scientists/ *https://www.chronicle.com/article/trump-halts-grants-caps-indirect-costs-at-the-national-science-foundation *https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/science-research-policy/2025/05/05/nsf-halts-new-funding-and-caps-indirect-rate *https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2025/05/05/the-national-science-foundation-is-under-siege