Science Under Siege: How Trump's Second Term is Shaking Up Research

In the past, science policy didn't grab many headlines. But now, it's front and center. President Donald Trump's second term has brought big changes to how the U. S. supports science. This shift is causing a lot of tension between the government and scientists. Trump's team has a clear plan. They want to change how science is funded and who benefits from it. This isn't just about cutting budgets. It's about changing the rules to fit their ideas. For example, they've made it harder for universities to get grants. They've also pushed for more private sector involvement in research. One of the biggest changes is the new focus on AI. The White House has launched several initiatives to boost AI research. This includes using public data and government labs to advance AI for science. But not everyone is happy with these changes. Many scientists feel that the government is interfering too much in their work.The Trump administration has also targeted higher education. They've cut funding for universities and made it harder for international students to study in the U. S. This has led to a drop in enrollment and a lot of uncertainty for students and researchers. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was created to cut waste in the federal bureaucracy. But many scientists say it went too far. DOGE searched for certain keywords in grant applications and terminated those that didn't fit the administration's priorities. This has made it harder for researchers to get funding. Despite all these changes, science in the U. S. is still going strong. Researchers are finding new ways to get funding and continue their work. But the future of U. S. science depends on whether the public and the government can trust each other again.