Trump's second term slashes federal science funding by 23% in one year
Federal funding for scientific research in the US has seen sharp declines under the Trump administration's second term. Between fiscal 2024 and 2025, overall spending on research contracts dropped by 23%, with some agencies facing even steeper cuts. The changes have disrupted key institutions and raised concerns about the future of public science efforts.
A new analysis of government spending reveals significant reductions across major science agencies. In fiscal 2025, total obligations for research and development contracts fell to $16.5 billion—a 23% decrease from the previous year. Project grants, which fund critical studies, also dropped by 24%, totaling $112.6 billion.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) experienced one of the most severe cuts, with contract spending plummeting by 79%. The agency has also lost roughly a quarter of its staff since the start of Trump's second term. In August 2025, tensions escalated when a gunman opposed to COVID-19 vaccines opened fire at CDC headquarters, killing a police officer responding to the scene.
Other agencies faced varying impacts. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) saw a 72% increase in research contract obligations, bucking the wider trend. Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's funding for such contracts dropped to zero—a 100% reduction. Agencies under review included the National Institutes of Health (NIH), NASA, and the National Park Service.
The broader effects of these cuts remain unclear, but German research institutions have already taken steps to preserve at-risk data. Uni Bremen and the Alfred-Wegener-Institut secured endangered US climate and environmental datasets in 2025, funded by an €860,000 grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG). No alternative priorities from the Trump administration have been publicly outlined to replace the defunded projects.
Leadership instability has added to the turmoil. The CDC's Trump-appointed director lasted only about a month before being dismissed. Critics argue that the administration's policies have undermined scientific progress, harming academic, nonprofit, and private organisations involved in vital public research.
The latest figures highlight a dramatic shift in federal support for science under Trump's second term. With funding cuts, staff losses, and leadership upheaval, agencies now face challenges in maintaining essential research operations. The long-term consequences for public health, environmental studies, and technological advancement remain uncertain.
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