NIH Staff Protest Trump-Driven $3.7B Grant Cuts, Politicization

President Donald Trump's administration has proposed a 40 percent budget cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) alongside a restructuring that would reduce its 19 institutes and centers to eight, and impose a 15 percent cap on overhead payments to universities. This proposal has sparked strong opposition from over 300 NIH employees who signed the 'Bethesda Declaration' letter, criticizing the cuts, job terminations, halted research, and politicization of the agency, which they argue undermine academic freedom and harm public health. NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya defended the administration's actions, asserting they aim to remove ideological influence, improve accountability, and maintain transparency and rigor in research. The staff letter accuses the administration of creating a culture of fear and suppression, halting high-quality peer-reviewed grants, and wasting taxpayer money by prematurely ending nearly completed studies. The debate comes at a critical moment as Bhattacharya prepares to testify before a Senate appropriations subcommittee reviewing the NIH budget request for fiscal year 2026. Massachusetts, a state heavily reliant on NIH funding, is expected to be among the most impacted by the proposed cuts, raising concerns about the future of scientific research and economic consequences in the region.