Foreign universities court U.S. scientists after Trump administration upends research funding

Foreign universities saw an opportunity when the Trump administration began upending U.S. scientific research last year. • Many are now luring American scientists abroad.

More than half of U.S. states have lost scientists to recruitment programs in other countries, according to an April report from the Business for Federal Research Funding Coalition.

Physics Ph.D. graduates in 2025 left the U.S. at the highest rate in 30 years, the American Institute of Physics found.

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Christine Stawitz left the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last year. She said the agency no longer aligned with her values, especially after she was asked to strip websites of references to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion topics.

“It used to be the shining city on the hill where we all want to go,” said Ms. Stawitz, now in England.

White House spokesperson Liz Huston said President Donald Trump is “ending waste” and is “committed to keeping America the world leader in scientific innovation, and that means funding real science.”

The administration has cut or frozen up to $174 billion in federal grants since Mr. Trump’s second term began, according to a tracking tool from the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness.

A proposed Office of Management and Budget rule could give political appointees more control over what future projects are funded. Congress has delayed a final decision until December.

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Read more:

• Meet the researchers leaving the U.S. because of Trump’s funding cuts and politicization of science

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