Fight for freedom: Scientists defend themselves against Trump!

Fight for freedom: Scientists defend themselves against Trump!

The Trump administration is pursuing an aggressive campaign against numerous universities in the USA, which has serious consequences for research and teaching. A recent survey of young US scientists at Goethe University shows considerable concern about academic freedom in the USA. Some scientists even prefer not to return to the USA. There are fears that the government could influence curricula in the humanities, social sciences and earth sciences. Young scientists are particularly affected by this development and see their career and life plans at risk. puk.uni-frankfurt.de reports that Heike Schäfer, a German American scholar, is concerned about the increasing campaigns to ban books in the United States.

Since 2021, these bans in public and school libraries have skyrocketed. In the 2023/24 school year, over 10,000 ban proceedings were initiated and more than 4,200 titles have already been banned. This tendency has led the literary community to respond to ongoing pressure with creative deletions of well-known texts, known as “erasures.”

Reactions and developments at universities

Universities are increasingly resisting the Trump administration's requirements. For example, Harvard University has litigated against an order denying access to foreign students. This regulation came into force in May 2025 and affects around 6,800 students who are already enrolled. Despite the court ruling that vindicated Harvard, the US government has not yet issued any new visas for foreign students and exchange students. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also instructed embassies not to schedule new appointments for visa applications. This shows the government's aggressive course, which also results in the targeted intimidation of scientists, which is seen as a central strategy of the Trump administration.

These measures resulted in significant financial cuts. In the first weeks of his second term, Trump drastically cut funding for research agencies and universities. These financial cuts are not just limited to Harvard. Extensive job cuts are also pending at the US Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). It is estimated that 65% of employees at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could lose their jobs, while the NIH could lay off around 1,165 researchers, often without notice despite good performance.

Political influence on research

In addition, the Trump administration is continuing a strategy of political influence on scientific work through personnel decisions. An example of this is the appointment of Jared Isaacman as NASA chief, which raises questions about the independence of research. Already during Trump's first term in office, scientists were forced to censor themselves and results were deliberately distorted or suppressed. Methods such as the recent directive that geologists can only assess climate change impacts until 2040 illustrate the control exercised. The lawyer Lauren Kurtz describes this development as a consolidation of the “war on science”.

To counteract these attacks on science, numerous scientists and organizations have come together and founded the “Stand Up for Science” movement. Protests and demonstrations are being planned across the country to defend scientific independence and integrity. There are also calls for a “Scientific Integrity Act” to prevent future influences.

These developments are receiving attention not only in the USA, but also internationally. Germany and other European countries could benefit from the exodus of scientists who are experiencing difficulties due to the current political situation in the USA. Germany is currently in fourth place in the “Highly Cited Scientists” ranking, underscoring the need for a strong academic landscape in Europe.

In summary, it can be said that the scientific landscape in the USA is at great risk from political interventions and financially uncertain conditions. The effects can be seen not only in the reduction of funding, but also in the unprecedented political influence on research results and methods. Deutschlandfunk highlights how the loss of academic freedom under Trump is perceived as increasingly threatening, while tagesschau.de analyzed the long-term consequences of this policy.