Trump 2.0 is dismantling American science. Here's what's at stake, according to researchers.

Photo of a scientist in a white lab coat looking at a device while holding a piece of paper. The scientist is facing left and leaning over a lab bench. .

From beginning to end, 2025 was a year of devastation for scientists in the United States.

January saw the abrupt suspension of key operations across the National Institutes of Health, not only disrupting clinical trials and other in-progress studies but stalling grant reviews and other activities necessary to conduct research. Around the same time, the Trump administration issued executive orders declaring there are only two sexes and ending DEI programs. The Trump administration also removed public data and analysis tools related to health disparities, climate change and environmental justice, among other databases.