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US Science in 2026: Five Themes That Will Dominate Trump's Second Year

US Science in 2026: Five Themes That Will Dominate Trump's Second Year

The outlook has brightened for federal science budgets, but political appointees are likely to have a big say in how that funding is spent.

Which of Donald Trump’s changes are likely to last—and which will fade?

Which of Donald Trump’s changes are likely to last—and which will fade?

What the legacy of Trump's storm will be? Will its impacts fade, allowing researchers to go back to their old ways? Or will some things be permanently altered?

States pioneer a new frontier in US science funding

States pioneer a new frontier in US science funding

According to data from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the share of US basic and applied research funded by the federal government dropped from nearly 48% in 2009 to just over 34% in 2023. As that decline is likely to continue, some state governments are responding by boosting their research spending.

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging Behind

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Science, but Some Think the U.S. Is Lagging Behind

A new report finds that a majority of Americans think the U.S. should be a world leader in science, but Democrats increasingly believe other countries are catching up

Appeals court agrees that NIH cannot reduce overhead payments to academic institutions

Appeals court agrees that NIH cannot reduce overhead payments to academic institutions

In another legal win for U.S. universities, a panel of appellate judges yesterday upheld a lower court ruling blocking the National Institutes of Health from sharply reducing the funding it gives institutions. 

Science Escapes Largest Cuts in Latest Budget Bills

Science Escapes Largest Cuts in Latest Budget Bills

Top appropriators in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives largely reject drastic cuts to federal science budgets that President Trump proposed last year.

Uncertainty Looms Large for US Science Funding in 2026

Uncertainty Looms Large for US Science Funding in 2026

Congress seems likely to fund science agencies at close to typical levels, but many questions remain about how the money will be distributed.

A huge rupture in everything’: US science faced major upheaval in 2025

A huge rupture in everything’: US science faced major upheaval in 2025

Amid enormous shifts, many scientists pushed back and risked dismissal from their jobs even as federal agencies fired thousands of employees.

New US Plan for 'AI in Science' Could Change How Research is Done, for Better or Worse

New US Plan for 'AI in Science' Could Change How Research is Done, for Better or Worse

A new Trump administration plan to expand the use of artificial intelligence in US science could boost research productivity. But, it also highlights a need for more global cooperation in AI development.

Trump Immigration Policies Threaten U.S. Innovation Leadership

Trump Immigration Policies Threaten U.S. Innovation Leadership

A new report from the Center for American Progress warns that Trump administration policies targeting legal immigration are undermining America's position as the world's leading innovation hub, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

China’s Historic Rise to the Top of the Scientific Ladder

China’s Historic Rise to the Top of the Scientific Ladder

For decades, Western scientists and policymakers dismissed China’s research boom as a matter of quantity over quality. Those days are over. In 2024, China achieved what seemed impossible just a few years ago, overtaking the United States in the number of publications appearing in the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.

Under President Trump's Direction, Scientific Protections Are Disappearing at Record Speed

Under President Trump's Direction, Scientific Protections Are Disappearing at Record Speed

The Trump administration takes another step toward enabling rampant political interference in federal science.

Universities Reject Trump Funding Deal

Universities Reject Trump Funding Deal

The “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” developed by the Trump administration and sent to nine universities on 1 October, proposes that the institutions agree to a series of criteria in exchange for preferential treatment in funding decisions. As of 20 October, various schools have responded to Trump’s offer.

Whiplash at CDC as hundreds of employees are terminated, then reinstated

Whiplash at CDC as hundreds of employees are terminated, then reinstated

Agency’s prestigious training programs among those spared, while other key offices are scrapped.

Federal science on pause amid shutdown: Trump makes offer to nine universities

Federal science on pause amid shutdown: Trump makes offer to nine universities

Trump offers funding advantage deal to small group of universities. Some universities have already pushed back.

MIT Rejects Federal Funding Deal with Trump Administration

MIT Rejects Federal Funding Deal with Trump Administration

The deal would see universities cap foreign admissions, restrict protests and adopt a binary definition of gender.