Researchers Say This New Trump Rule Could Destroy American Science as We Know It. They’re Fighting Back

New proposal would give Trump officials more control over scientific research grants

The Trump administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul on how the federal government awards billions of dollars in research grants. But researchers say it could allow the administration to limit and exert more control over critical scientific research. Craig McLean, the former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, joins William Brangham to discuss.

Researchers say this new Trump rule could destroy American science as we know it. They’re fighting back

Scientists across multiple disciplines are raising the alarm after the White House proposed taking greater control over how scientific research gets funded and allowing political appointees to decide whether to approve scientific grants.

How the Trump Administration Plans to Politicize Federal Grants

Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), speaks in the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2026. —Will Oliver—EPA/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesThe Trump Administration has proposed what could be the biggest overhaul in years of how the federal government distributes billions of dollars in grants, requiring senior appointees to conduct “pre-issuance reviews” that critics say pave the way for political interference …

Re: Trump administration proposes political review of all research grant proposals

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The Trump Administration Has Launched Its Biggest Threat Yet to Scientific Research. We Can Stop Them.

This proposed rule is about one thing: the Trump administration’s hunger to exert control over the federal scientific enterprise and re-direct it toward their own political agenda. It's an attack on scientific integrity and scientific independence that will come at the public’s expense.