The White House has proposed massive changes to the scientific process in the U.S. which, if passed, could make science funding dependent on the whims of political appointees.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed a new rule called "Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance" on May 28. This rule would give political appointees the power to change, limit, or even fully overturn support and funding for scientific grants. Not only would political appointees have authority over science funding — and therefore the science that gets done — but the decisions they make could also depend on whether scientists' social media and personal lives align with the values of the current political party.
