Trump Cuts NIH Budget by 35%, DEI and WANTO Grants Slashed, Harvard Faces Billions in Losses
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The Trump administration's reductions in federal science funding have led to widespread disruptions at U.S. research institutions. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been ordered to cut its budget by 35%, resulting in layoffs of 1,300 employees and the cancellation or delay of thousands of grants. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is cutting hundreds of positions and canceling grants, including those related to climate change, gender, and diversity. Harvard University alone faces the potential loss of billions in federal funding, and universities such as Columbia, Cornell, and the University of Washington are also reporting major financial losses and operational challenges.
Chinese and Chinese-American researchers, who are heavily represented among NIH-funded scientists, are experiencing heightened uncertainty due to both funding cuts and increased scrutiny. Many are considering opportunities abroad, as China and European countries expand recruitment efforts. The European Union has announced a $566 million initiative to attract U.S. talent.
The administration has also issued executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, directing agencies to cancel all equity-related grants and requiring recipients to certify they do not operate noncompliant DEI programs. This has resulted in the loss of funding for dozens of community organizations, including those supporting women and minorities in skilled trades. Lawsuits have been filed by affected groups, such as Chicago Women in Trades, which receives about 40% of its funding from federal sources. The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program, which received $8.5 million in grants under Trump and nearly $18 million under Biden, is now in limbo, with some grants protected by court injunctions but many others terminated.
Industry stakeholders warn that the loss of such programs threatens efforts to address labor shortages, with the construction industry alone seeking more than 400,000 new workers this year. Legal action has been taken by 16 states and several organizations to challenge the administration's policies.
The funding reductions have prompted many top scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students to seek positions abroad, with European countries and China actively recruiting U.S.-based talent.
The Trump administration has moved swiftly to cut off federal funding to dozens of community groups that implement diversity and inclusion programs on the ground.
https://t.co/Ql4r534l4G
New: The Trump administration, according to Grant Watch, terminated a taxpayer-funded George Washington University research grant to understand the gendered impacts of COVID-19 in the Artic.
https://t.co/grTVoPEOBY
