How Trump is following Project 2025’s radical roadmap to defund science

Indiscriminate firing. Finished grant. Canceled programs. The barrage of the work done by US President Donald Trump has shocked the country’s research community in the last two months. Nevertheless, most of them were already planned and publicly excluded.

‘Scientists will not be silent’: Thousands of protest trump research cuts

The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think-tank located at Washington DC released Project 2025, A policy guidebook and staffing listIn April 2023, as a blueprint, which hoped that a second trump would be the Presidency. However, Trump dismissed the initiative during his 2024 presidential campaign, saying that he had no knowledge of this, after public backlash on the comprehensive Republican policy proposals of the publication, such as a ban on abortion, overhale the federal government and reducing funding for climate science.

But Trump and his administration have closely stated for the agenda of Project 2025, which is wide in a huge, 922-pain book, which passes executive orders to define climate initiative and targeted diversity programs. Wall Street Journal found More than half of Trump’s Executive Order (EOS) projects with 2025 recommendations. And most of its 40 listed writers are now the major figures of Trump’s team.

Heritage Foundation did not respond NatureRequest for comment. White House spokesperson, Taylor Roadors said: “No one did not care about Project 2025 when he chose President Trump in November 2024, and he is no longer cared for. Dominants are rolling. ” But those who monitor the policy hopes that the science agencies will have a big cut in the upcoming budget request of the President for the US government.

Here, Nature Project 2025 examines science -related policies that have already come to pass, and which horizons can be done.

Has Trump followed a think-tank advice before?

Heritage Foundation has been publishing policy recommendations since 1981, often giving them time for a new presidential post. At the beginning of Trump’s first term in 2017, the Foundation listed hundreds of priorities, such as opening sites for off-show oil drilling. FoundationAfter a year in the office, Trump followed 64% of them.

Compared to the previous guidebooks, Project 2025 recommends more-Charm verbs. For example, while the 2017 version advised the President to “curb the administrative state”, and its proposals do not apply only to the federal government: Project 2025 aims to improve the US education system including universities. The goal, its author, writes, “Define and define the Vok culture warriors who have infiltrated every last institution in the US”.

What policies have been implemented by the Trump team from the project so far?

Project 2025 notes that the US President has the only authority over the American Executive Branch, which includes several science agencies, and encourages the President to use it. Trump has followed this philosophy so far, using EOS to fulfill his wish list. (The EOS directs the US government to take action, but cannot violate the laws.) Many are being challenged with cases.

There are some science-related recommendations here which have already been implemented:

Anti -reliability effort

“Under the science banner, ignoring the policies and procedures used to carry forward radical gender, racial and equity initiative.” Page 40

Tusrap Signed an EO ending “DEI Program” on 20 JanuaryIn response, agencies such as the US National Science Foundation (NSF), a major funder of basic science, reviewed and reviewed the grant for violation of Trump’s orders; The US National Institute of Health (NIH), the world’s largest funder of biomedical research, has abolished grants related to diversity. The Dei offices of several agencies have also been closed.

Climate science and green energy defines

“Biden (East of Trump) Administration Climate bigotry will require a complete government. Page 40

As he did during his first presidential post, Trump has initiated the process of withdrawing the United States from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which tells nations to reduce their greenhouse-gais emissions. He too Signed an EO targeting energy regulationsThe US Environmental Protection Agency has since put on a plan to return dozens of rules on fossil fuels that protect from pollution.

Cut off money to universities

“The Congress should captive the indirect cost rate paid to universities.” Page 355

NIH, under the orders of the Trump team, but without the approval of the Congress, issued a notice on 7 February that it would cut indirect cost rate to universities for things like electricity and equipment maintenance, which for things like electricity and equipment maintenance up to 15%. This must have reduced billions from the university budget. A federal judge has prevented the policy from becoming effective.

Incomplete government

“Nondefense cut permanent and original cut in the number of federal employees.” Page 78

Russell Wout, a writer of Project 2025 and now the director of the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has ordered a large -scale ‘deficiency’ among the agencies. NASA has already closed offices, including the office of the chief scientist, and more than 20 workers have been fired. Other agencies are preparing the plan: Report tells NIH will cut 1,200 people from its employees – about 6% -.

Which proposed science policies can be held on the horizon from Project 2025?

Project 2025 includes hundreds of recommendations, and many have not been implemented, although there are indications that the Trump administration is considering them. Here are some of them:

Embryonic research