Trump Administration Seeks Share of University Patent Revenues

The Trump administration, through Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, is proposing that the federal government take a share—potentially up to 50%—of the revenue generated by patents developed at universities with federal funding. Lutnick argued that since the government funds about $50 billion in research, it is unfair that neither scientists nor universities share any profits with taxpayers. This initiative follows the administration's previous moves to secure stakes in private companies like Intel and receive a portion of Nvidia's AI chip sales in China. Letters have already been sent to Harvard University and the University of California system demanding detailed lists of patents resulting from federally funded research, signaling the start of broader negotiations. The proposal challenges the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which currently allows universities to retain full ownership of such patents to incentivize research and development. While the administration sees this as a way to fund Social Security and reduce federal deficits, the move has drawn criticism and concerns about its impact on university research incentives and autonomy.