NSF Employees Dissent Over Trump Administration's Cuts, Firings, Grant Cancellations

Nearly 150 employees at the National Science Foundation (NSF) have publicly condemned the Trump administration's actions, warning of a systemic dismantling of the agency. They highlighted concerns over steep budget cuts, including a 56% proposed reduction for fiscal year 2026, which could eliminate funding for over 250,000 researchers and students, and a 75% cut to chemistry funding. The employees also criticized the termination of more than 1,600 NSF grants without proper explanation, the withholding of $2.2 billion in appropriated funds, and a covert, ideologically driven secondary review process overseen by unqualified political appointees interfering with NSF's peer review system. Many signatories chose anonymity due to fears of retaliation, with union leaders and lawmakers, including Rep. Zoe Lofgren, promising to protect whistleblowers and defend the agency. The dissent echoes similar protests from other science agencies like NASA and the EPA, which have also faced funding cuts and policy shifts under the administration. These developments have raised alarms about the politicization of scientific research and the undermining of US leadership in science.