EU, France invest €500M to attract US researchers fleeing Trump policies

European leaders, led by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have announced a major initiative to attract scientists and researchers from the United States who are affected by funding cuts and restrictions under the Trump administration. The EU will allocate 500 million euros from 2025 to 2027 to bolster research opportunities and make Europe a global hub for scientific talent, with additional national investments such as France’s 100 million euro commitment. The initiative includes new grants, policies to simplify the entry of high-level researchers, and legal protections for scientific freedom within Europe. Macron and von der Leyen criticized recent U.S. policies that have canceled hundreds of research grants, particularly those related to diversity, equity, and misinformation studies, calling such moves a 'gigantic miscalculation.' French research institutions and universities have already launched targeted programs to provide a 'safe place' for threatened US and foreign scientists. The UK is also considering a similar support scheme, highlighting a broader European effort to benefit from what they describe as America's retreat from open scientific research.