American exceptionalism in the 20th century was built on our engine of innovation and technological advancement. We built a massive infrastructure to fund and foster research into the deepest recesses of human imagination to create a better world. Nobody embodied the idea of that exceptionalism more than Vannevar Bush, the scientist who oversaw US technological operations during WWII. He saw what American scientists could do if they were allowed—encouraged and incentivized—to explore questions outside of the military-industrial complex. He wrote a treatise called “As We May Think” in The Atlantic in 1945 that laid out a vision for the modern world (its pages include accessing information, hypertext, and the Internet) and a bold proposition to establish a national foundation to create this world. He helped create the National Science Foundation, which in turn helped spawn other agencies that have funded medical, technological, and other breakthroughs licensed to American start-ups and businesses to build our modern world. Since the US government works for the public, the public can engage with those universal breakthroughs. Universities and nonprofits have access to the science. One of the outcomes of this public-private partnership: America is responsible for more new medical drug discoveries than any country. That funding structure has been—until now—built and nurtured by Republicans and Democrats alike, who understood that our might was in our science, our education, and our research. But that may change very soon. The White House has proposed deep and devastating cuts across our entire scientific infrastructure. Unlike House Resolution 1, which just passed Congress and has already been codified into law, the White House’s current budget hasn’t been locked in yet. There is still time to oppose it. If enacted, these cuts and the assault on institutions nationwide will gut American innovation. Scientists are already leaving the country as other Western countries openly court those who have lost their funding. This is going to cripple the US economy and our innovation engine, although it will happen slowly over the next decade. And this isn’t conjecture. Here’s a Forbes piece on the impact these cuts will have, but it doesn’t take much searching to find scores more. (I’ll also discuss the economic impact in several sections below.) The destabilizing funding can’t just be “replaced” with a new administration, either. This funding destruction is generational. The major world powers are rushing to fill this gap, attract talent, and take ownership of the technological breakthroughs that used to happen here. Here is a look at the breadth of cuts that are proposed. ## Executive Summary of Research Cuts President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal represents the most aggressive assault on federal research funding in modern history, proposing cuts totaling over **$163 billion** in nondefense discretionary spending. This 23 percent reduction would bring federal funding to its lowest level in eight years. The cuts target virtually every major scientific research agency, particularly devastating climate science, health research, and fundamental scientific infrastructure. This budget represents an unprecedented retrenchment from federal investment in scientific research, potentially setting US research capabilities back decades while ceding scientific leadership to international competitors. Note: Some budget figures vary slightly across sources due to different baseline assumptions and timing of reports. ## Overview of Targeted Research Areas ### Climate and Environmental Science * **Total climate research cuts:** Over $3B across all agencies * **NSF climate research:** Targeted for elimination as “woke science” * **NOAA climate programs:** $1.31B eliminated * **NASA Earth science:** $1.16B cut * **EPA environmental research:** $235M reduction * **USGS ecological research:** $307M eliminated * **DOE clean energy:** $15.2B in infrastructure funds canceled ### Health and Biomedical Research * **NIH overall:** $20.3B reduction (44 percent cut) * **University research grants:** $11.6B eliminated * **Training programs:** $359M cut * **Global health research:** Completely eliminated * **Minority health research:** The Institute eliminated ### Space and Planetary Science * **Space science funding** : $2.27B reduction * **Climate satellites** : Elimination of “low-priority” monitoring systems * **International partnerships** : Threatened due to mission cancellations ### Basic Science * **University support** : Massive reduction in fundamental science grants ## Major Research Agencies Facing Deep Cuts ### National Institutes of Health (NIH) **Budget Impact** : 44 percent cut from $47B to $26.7B * **Research grants to universities** : 43 percent reduction (−$11.6B to $15.1B) * **Training programs** : Cut from $1.01B to $655M (−$359M) * **Internal NIH research** : Reduced by $1.3B to $3.6B * **Structural changes** : Consolidation from 27 institutes to just 8 * **Eliminated programs** : National Institute on Minority Health Disparities, nursing research, alternative medicine, global health research ### National Science Foundation (NSF) **Budget Impact** : Over 50 percent cut from $9B to $4B * **Workforce reduction** : Would result in the smallest NSF since the 1960s * **“Broadening participation” programs** : Cut by $1.2B (only $200M remaining from $1.4B) * **Infrastructure** : Complete elimination of $234M facilities account * **Operations** : $94M cut from $450M administrative budget * **Targeted cuts** : Climate research, clean energy, social/behavioral sciences labeled as “woke” * **Protected areas** : Only AI and quantum information sciences funding maintained ### NASA **Budget Impact** : 24 percent cut from $24.8B to $18.8B * **Science programs** : 47-53 percent reduction from $7.5B to $3.9B * **Earth science** : 53 percent cut, eliminating $1.16B for climate monitoring satellites * **Space science** : $2.27B reduction, terminating Mars Sample Return mission * **Mission cancellations** : 41 projects terminated, including New Horizons and Juno * **Workforce** : Nearly one-third reduction, smallest since mid-1960s * **International Space Station** : $508M cut reducing crew size and research ### National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) **Budget Impact** : 24-27 percent cut to around $4.5 to 5.2B * **Climate research** : $1.31B eliminated from “climate-dominated research” * **Weather satellites** : $209M reduction weakening monitoring capabilities * **Research centers** : Elimination of research offices nationwide * **Climate modeling** : Potential loss of world’s leading climate forecasting systems * **Workforce** : Over 800 employees already terminated ### Department of Energy’s Office of Science **Budget Impact** : 14 percent cut to $7.1B (roughly 2021 levels) * **Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)** : 57 percent reduction to $200M * **Fossil Energy and Carbon Management** : 31 percent cut to $595M * **Nuclear Energy** : 24 percent reduction to $1.28B * **Infrastructure law cuts** : $15.2B eliminated for EV/battery production and carbon capture ### Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) **Budget Impact** : 54.5 percent cut from $9.1B to $4.2B * **Office of Research and Development** : 46 percent cut, losing $235M with a 75 percent staff reduction * **Clean/Drinking Water State Revolving Funds** : $2.46B eliminated * **Environmental justice programs** : Terminated * **Research restructuring** : ORD broken up, staff redistributed ### US Geological Survey (USGS) **Budget Impact** : $564M cut from surveys and research programs * **Ecosystem Mission Area** : Complete elimination of the $307M biological research program * **Workforce reduction** : From 7,870 to 5,153 employees * **Research focus shift** : From ecological/climate research to “energy and critical minerals” * **Program closures** : 16 research centers eliminated nationwide * **Species research** : End to endangered species monitoring, invasive species control ### Department of Agriculture (USDA) **Budget Impact** : 18 percent reduction, totaling $4.5B+ cuts * **National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)** : One-third reduction to $602M * **Climate/renewable energy programs** : Completely eliminated * **University grants** : Sharp reduction in unrestricted funding to agricultural experiment stations * **Conservation research** : Major cuts to programs supporting farmer conservation practices ### Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) **Budget Impact** : 43 percent cut from $9.2B to $5.2B ### Smaller Research Agencies Facing Elimination * **National Endowment for the Humanities** : Complete elimination * **Institute of Museum and Library Services** : Complete elimination * **Marine Mammal Commission** : Terminated ## Implications and Consequences of Research Cuts ### Immediate Impacts * **Grant terminations** : Universities losing billions in research funding * **Mission cancellations** : Decades of scientific investment lost * **Infrastructure damage** : Research facilities and equipment mothballed ### Long-term Consequences * **Scientific leadership** : US risks losing global competitiveness in research * **Climate monitoring** : Critical environmental tracking capabilities eliminated * **Public health** : Reduced capacity for disease monitoring and response * **Economic impact** : Loss of research-driven innovation and high-tech jobs * **National security** : Degraded environmental and health intelligence capabilities ### Strategic Priorities Maintained * **Artificial Intelligence research** : Funding maintained * **Quantum information sciences** : Protected from cuts * **Nuclear energy research** : Some continued investment * **Defense research** : 13 percent increase to $1.01 trillion overall defense spending ## Economic Impact of Research Cuts Economic studies consistently show that federal research investment generates exceptional returns: every $1 invested in NIH research produces $2.56 in new economic activity, while broader analyses suggest public R&D investment yields approximately 20% annual returns—far exceeding typical private sector investments. A recent report warns that a 25 percent cut to public R&D spending would reduce GDP by approximately 3.8 percent in the long run, equivalent to the economic contraction during the Great Recession. The Science & Community Impacts Mapping Project estimates that cuts to NIH indirect costs alone would result in $16 billion in economic losses and 68,000 jobs lost nationwide. The cuts would slow scientific discovery, thin the pipeline of novel technologies, reduce aggregate productivity, and diminish private-sector investment by removing the foundational knowledge that de-risks commercial development. ### Sector-Specific Impacts * **Genomics industry:** Supports over 850,000 jobs with $265 billion in annual economic impact, yielding a $4.75 return for every $1 invested * **NIH small business programs:** The National Cancer Institute’s small-business program alone generated $26.1 billion in economic output and $13.4 billion in added value to the US economy ## Sources 1. The President’s FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request 2. **Science (AAAS)** – “Trump proposes massive NIH budget cut and reorganization” 3. **Science (AAAS)** – “Trump’s proposed budget would mean ‘disastrous’ cuts to science“ 4. **Science (AAAS)** – “Trump swings budget ax at USGS biology research“ 5. **STAT News** – “NIH cuts: Trump budget slashes grants, training, research” (June 2025) 6. **STAT News** – “New HHS document details deep NIH cuts as part of Trump budget request” (May 2025) 7. **STAT News** – “Trump budget draft proposes NIH consolidation and 40 percent spending cut” (April 2025) 8. **Inside Higher Ed** – “New Details of Trump’s Budget Cuts Alarm Researchers“ 9. **Inside Higher Ed** – “Trump Proposes Deep Cuts to Education and Research“ 10. **Space.com** – “‘What a waste.’ US scientists decry Trump’s 47 percent cuts to NASA science budget” (June 2025) 11. **Space.com** – “Trump administration proposes slashing NASA budget by 24 percent” (May 2025) 12. **Space.com** – “Trump’s 2026 budget would slash NASA funding by 24 percent and its workforce by nearly one third” (May 2025) 13. **Nature** – “Trump moves to slash NSF: why are the proposed budget cuts so big?“ 14. **Nature** – “Trump proposes unprecedented budget cuts to US science“ 15. **Scientific American** – “NASA and NOAA Trump Funding Cuts Jeopardize These Key Climate and Space Projects” (April 2025) 16. **ProPublica** – “Trump’s NOAA Budget Cuts Could Gut Critical Climate Modeling” (April 2025) 17. **The Washington Post** – “The NASA science missions that would be axed in Trump’s 2026 budget” (June 2025) 18. **Time** – “What Trump’s NASA Budget Cuts Mean for the Space Agency” (May 2025) 19. **Reuters** – “Trump budget proposes slashes to renewable energy, farms, EPA” (May 2025) 20. **E &E News by POLITICO** – “Trump cuts would scrap USGS biological research arm“ 21. **E &E News by POLITICO** – “Trump budget would decimate climate, renewables funding” (May 2025) 22. **Eos** – “New U.S. Budget Proposal Slashes Billions in Funds for Science” (May 2025) 23. **GovAffairs** – “President Trump Releases Potentially Disastrous FY26 Budget Request” (May 2025) 24. **Daily Illini** – “Trump administration proposes substantial budget cuts to NOAA, NASA” (May 2025) 25. **The Wildlife Society** – “Trump admin releases FY2026 budget” (May 2025) 26. **American Society for Cell Biology** – “The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is Not the Budget” (July 2025) 27. **Population Association of America** – “Take Action! Contact Congress About Proposed NIH, NSF Spending Levels” (June 2025) 28. **Population Association of America** – “Fiscal Year 2026 Deliberations Begin: Raising the Stakes for NIH, NSF, and Federal Statistical Agencies” (June 2025) 29. **Chesapeake Bay Foundation** – “Trump Budget Would Devastate Chesapeake Bay Restoration“ 30. **Surfrider Foundation** – “Trump Administration’s 2026 Budget: Drastic Cuts at NOAA and the EPA” (May 2025) 31. **FreeMind Group** – “NIH Secures $48B Under CR Through 2025: Stability and Continuity Ahead” (March 2025) 32. **University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School** – “Data-Driven, Interactive Map Shows Local Economic Impact of Cuts to Federal Funding for Health Research” (April 2025) 33. **Association of American Universities (AAU)** – “New Research Suggests Returns on Federal Investments in R&D Are Much Higher Than Current Estimates“ 34. **Center for American Progress** – “The High Return on Investment for Publicly Funded Research” (December 2012) 35. **Pharmacy Practice News** – “Every $1 in NIH Research Funding Returns $2.56 to the U.S. Economy“ 36. **Science|Business** – “R&D pays: Economists suggest 20% return on public investment for research and innovation“ 37. **PharmaAlmanac** – “Cutting Public R&D Would Slash U.S. GDP, Innovation, and Industry Growth, New Report Warns“ 38. **National Institutes of Health** – “Spurring Economic Growth” (April 2025) 39. **Congressional Budget Office** – “The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2025 to 2035“ 40. **AP News** – “What is the CBO? A look at the small office that scored Trump’s tax bill“ 41. **CBS News** – “Trump tariffs would cut deficits by $2.8 trillion and shrink the economy, CBO says“ * * * ## AI use in this post I used Claude.ai Chat to help parse out the full range of cuts. I began by linking to the budget proposal. I used a prompt to pull out the impact, and I asked Claude to fact-check each claim made in the original artifact, which begins at the Executive Summary and ends at the Source List. Finally, I had Claude add the source to each claim. I wrote the introduction, copyedited Claude’s work, and added hyperlinks. ## Photos Feature Image: Photo by Chromatograph on Unsplash Wall Street Image: Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash ### Share this: * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to print (Opens in new window) Print * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * ### Like this: Like Loading...

Bobby Bo hasn't played for the Mets since 1999, but Tuesday he'll receive his annual hefty check from the team.