Trump’s assault on science threatens role of U.S. in research: Nobel officials

3 OCTOBER 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump’s assault on science could threaten the United States’ position as the world’s leading research nation and have knock-on effects worldwide, Nobel Prize officials in Sweden said.
Since taking office in January 2025, Mr. Trump has cut billions of dollars in funding, attacked universities’ academic freedoms, and overseen mass layoffs of scientists across federal agencies.
The U.S. is home to more Nobel science laureates than any other country, due largely to its longstanding investment in basic science and academic freedoms.
In the post-war period, the U.S. has taken over Germany’s role as the world’s leading scientific nation.