Overview

• The Trump administration has proposed cutting the National Science Foundation budget by up to 66% and capping NIH indirect cost reimbursements at 15%, down from current averages of 27–28%.
• A federal judge has temporarily blocked the NIH policy in 22 states following lawsuits arguing that it violates federal law and threatens critical research infrastructure.
• Major research institutions, including Baylor College of Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center, warn of significant financial losses and potential setbacks in medical advancements.
• The NIH funding freeze, which defies multiple court orders, has halted most grant disbursements, raising concerns about the continuity of biomedical research across the U.S.
• Critics argue that the cuts will harm long-term innovation, with examples like NIH-funded breakthroughs in GLP-1 weight-loss drugs highlighting the importance of sustained government investment in basic research.