“Universities, that’s the enemy!” These words are extracted from a speech by JD Vance, vice-president of the United States, pronounced in 2021 during a “conservative national” convention. They are resonated and perfectly consistent with the measures taken by the Trump administration since coming to power. It has not been going on a day since then without the announcement of restrictive measures against science. These attacks are unprecedented in the United States, they seriously affect researchers and their institutions. They are heavy with consequences and directly impact global scientific research given the predominant place of the United States. Fundamental and applied research are affected. Of course, given the a priori ideological of Donald Trump, environmental research, in health and in human and social sciences are targeted. They compromise international projects, for example for meteorological or microbiological surveillance, and also concern public health actions.
Trump’s political disciples present in our country as elsewhere are attentive and dream of applying similar measures. This is what is already happening in Argentina with President Milei and also in part in the Netherlands, another country of scientific tradition, due to the policy carried out by the coalition in power which associates straight and extreme right. We too could be victims in the coming years. Above all, these measures question a fundamental value: knowledge and acquisition of knowledge, fruits of academic freedom, which constitute the rational bases on which the construction of our societies is based. Trump and his supports substitute the use of alternative “truths”: global warming does not exist, vaccines are harmful, etc. Historical precedents – think of Lyssenkism in USSR – lead to disasters.
What are the motivations of Trump, Vance, Musk and their acolytes? You can see three factors there. First, their contempt for public action: for them the civil servants propagate harmful ideas. Then, suggesting that university knowledge is toxic, they weaken any opposition to an irrational vision of the world. Finally, their hostility towards minorities and their desire to put down the diversity, equity, inclusion programs.
It is impossible in this chronicle to detail all the decisions made, but here are some protruding points in the field of biomedical research and health. The National Institute of Health (NIH), the world’s largest financing agency for medical research, had a budget of $ 47 billion: 1,100 employees, administrative and researchers, 6 % of the workforce has been dismissed and there are strong threats that other researchers quickly lose their jobs. This results in a decrease in a factor 2 of the number of research contracts allocated by the NIH. In addition, the contribution to the indirect costs of research (equipment maintenance, pet store, etc.) paid to universities where these researchers work, and which could reach 50 % of the amount of their contracts, is reduced to a maximum of 15 %, a potential loss of more than $ 4 billion for their institutions. It is a threat to research infrastructure and a brake on recruitment as many students and researchers.
Medical research concerning women’s health, gender, populations become de facto impossible. Agencies responsible for health surveillance (epidemics, food, drugs) such as centers for Disease Control (CDC) or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are also subject to brutal personnel reductions. In global health, Trump withdrew from the World Health Organization and blocked programs that treat patients with AIDS or tuberculosis in southern countries. Robert Kennedy Jr., head of health, is known for his anti -Vax positions! This very worrying situation will sustainably affect global health. It is essential that Public becomes aware of the severity of these facts.
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