Trump administration crackdown halts over 400 NSF research grants tied to equity and studies on misinformation

A wave of cancellations by the National Science Foundation (NSF) has ended hundreds of research grants, many focused on diversity and misinformation, amid a broader push by the Trump administration to reshape federal science funding.

Katrina Miller and Carl Zimmer report for The New York Times.

In short:

• The NSF has canceled more than 400 active research grants, many involving diversity, equity, and inclusion (D.E.I.) or studies of misinformation, citing a shift in agency priorities and alignment with constitutional speech protections.
• The cuts follow a freeze attempt and an executive order from President Trump targeting D.E.I. programs, and reflect months of political pressure, including a list of “questionable projects” compiled by Senator Ted Cruz.
• Critics warn the move jeopardizes public-facing science, particularly work supporting marginalized communities and initiatives designed to diversify STEM fields, and could reverse years of progress in American research.

Key quote:

“It’s shocking to see the government do this. It cedes American leadership in science and technology to China and to other countries. I think it is going to take at least 10 years for American scientific and biomedical research to recover from this.”

— Jon Freeman, psychologist at Columbia University

Why this matters:

The federal government’s abrupt cancellation of hundreds of scientific research grants strikes at the heart of how and for whom science is done in America. Many of the affected projects were designed to make science more inclusive and responsive to real-world problems, like environmental injustice, misinformation, and disparities in STEM education. Pulling support from these efforts sends a clear signal: Research that examines power, equity, or systemic bias is politically vulnerable. That has serious implications not just for academic freedom, but for communities that rely on data and collaboration to hold polluters accountable, respond to health disparities, or advocate for safer neighborhoods. The defunding of such work weakens the scientific infrastructure needed to protect public health, especially in places burdened by environmental and economic inequality.

Learn more: Scientists grapple with funding cuts and political uncertainty