More than a year has passed since President Trump assumed office for his second term, during which a troubling pattern of science-related attacks has emerged. Every month since his inauguration, the administration has implemented numerous measures targeting scientific endeavors, policies, and personnel. These actions, far from being sporadic, collectively illustrate a deliberate and systematic undermining of federal scientific infrastructure, with immediate adverse effects on both people and the environment, and potentially severe long-term consequences.
From January 20th, 2025, to March 6th, 2026, we have recorded 562 unique attacks on science. The most prevalent types of attacks include:
- The introduction of numerous anti-science regulations or the repeal of science-based regulations, exemplified by efforts to dismantle the Endangerment Finding.
- Federal funding for research being withheld or dictated by political ideology, impacting studies related to LGBTQ+ health, climate science, and vaccine efficacy.
- The erosion of scientific capacity within federal agencies, impairing their ability to alert the public to hazardous weather conditions and environmental toxins and to respond swiftly.
These are just some of the tactics employed so far, and we are still counting.
Fifteen months of data have been gathered to highlight patterns and address the consequences of these attacks. The information below illustrates how the initial surge of targeted attacks in President Trump’s second term has set the stage for further assaults and detrimental downstream impacts over time.
Before proceeding, it’s important to acknowledge the challenging nature of this content, as it highlights attacks on democratic principles, marginalized groups, and systems designed to support environmental and public health. As my colleagues Gretchen Goldman and Rachel Cleetus have emphasized, documenting these harms is crucial, not only to recognize what has been lost and the effort required to build it but also to inspire those aiming to protect what remains and create stronger institutions and policies for the future.
When it all began
A visual representation of the monthly escalation of attacks on science reveals the Trump administration’s strategy. The early months saw a barrage of anti-science actions, facilitating the targeting and dismantling of inconvenient federal systems and protections. This approach has effectively expanded the administration’s power, bolstered its influential allies at the expense of the general populace, and curtailed opportunities for dissent and accountability.
The graphic illustrates the substantial initial wave of attacks on science, which was orchestrated to empower the Trump administration to operate with little restraint. By undermining scientific foundations within the government, the Trump administration paved the way for decision-making based on ideology rather than evidence, removal of personnel, and escalation of authoritarian tactics as described in Project 2025. The early months were marked by significant upheaval for federal scientific systems, the professionals working within them, and those relying on their protection.
An eleven-day catalyst
In January 2025, President Trump and his team engaged in extensive dismantling activities. The President issued several anti-science executive orders (EOs), including one that eliminated gender identity recognition within government influence, restricting acknowledged sex to male and female only. This effectively erased recognition of intersex, transgender, and nonbinary individuals. Additionally, previous science-backed orders were rescinded, including those promoting fair access for historically underrepresented groups in government decision-making. To lead multiple federal agencies, President Trump appointed individuals with documented anti-science stances, such as Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy, and Doug Burgum. Guided by Project 2025 and industry allies’ agendas, significant damage was inflicted by the end of January.
These early days laid the groundwork for a year-long campaign to dismantle essential protective systems underpinning government and democratic processes.
The pattern persisted in subsequent months, building upon this foundation. The administration instituted grant review freezes at the National Science Foundation due to President Trump’s executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. These freezes initiated a cascade of chaotic events across federal agencies. Research funding experienced fluctuations, being paused, unfrozen, terminated, and reopened through court interventions.
This resulted in halted new research, disrupted ongoing research, and wasted data and resources. Universities reduced enrollment and staffing. Consequently, this stifled innovation that could lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment, hurricane tracking, or protecting against toxic exposure. These destructive actions align with the administration’s ideological and political agendas, opposed to vaccines, environmental justice, and LGBTQ+ health, among others.
Fired scientists, fewer services
In February 2025, the administration began threatening large-scale layoffs of federal staff. The deceptively named Department of Government Efficiency started pressuring federal employees, with appointees announcing restructuring plans that undermined agency missions. Federal scientists and workers lived in tangible fear that their work, careers, and livelihoods could be jeopardized at any moment.
However, the loss of a substantial amount of scientific expertise and institutional knowledge in this first year wasn’t isolated. Job instability and losses affected the government’s ability to track infectious diseases, prevent lead poisoning, assess school enrollments and financial aid needs, or compile food safety data or accident data. These are not just jobs lost; it means the loss of services funded by taxpayers and established by law.
Integrity at risk
The attacks persisted into March, with a focus on agency scientific advisory boards. At the end of the month, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) rescinded its scientific integrity (SI) policy, known for its transparency and public involvement. These SI policies were designed to protect federal scientists and their work from political interference. This rescission marked the first in a series of weakened protections against undue influence, censorship, and retaliation.
Following the NIH policy rescission, President Trump signed an EO directing agencies to revert all SI policies to their state at the end of his first term, further weakening or eliminating these safeguards. Agencies were instructed to replace them with policies enforcing what are termed “gold standard science” (GSS) principles, placing scientists under political appointees’ control, aligning them with the President’s political agenda. More agency policies were subsequently reverted or rescinded.
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), at the President’s request, released recommendations for agencies to prioritize “GSS” principles in new SI policies. Agencies were instructed to publish interim documents detailing current alignment with these principles and future plans for implementation.
Some principles in these GSS tenets reflect established scientific norms, like minimizing conflicts of interest, transparency, and communicating methodological limits. However, the administration’s approach contradicts these practices. Nowhere in the guidance is the importance of scientific independence or protections for scientific freedom acknowledged. There’s no prevention of retaliation against scientists who oppose unethical practices or share information contrary to the administration’s narratives. Everything appears secondary to the President’s agenda.
Since the August 22nd OSTP deadline, federal agencies have begun rolling out GSS implementation plans, with some publishing new SI policies. We continue to monitor these developments.
It doesn’t stop there
The Union of Concerned Scientists anticipated this presidency would feature numerous attacks on science. The first term provided evidence—the Trump administration launched unprecedented attacks on science. Despite occasional campaign denials, the administration’s playbook was already evident in Project 2025. Even against these stark standards, the Trump administration has intensified its campaign against science. This is a calculated, strategic assault on federal scientific systems, the concept of shared truth, a commitment to the public good, and participatory democracy. We expect these attacks to persist.
By stopping at March, I don’t imply that subsequent attacks are any less impactful, devastating, or important to review. However, they demonstrate a pattern and provide insight into what lies ahead.
My colleagues and I have been striving to improve the efficiency and standardization of documenting attacks on science. Soon, we’ll share how tracking and documenting harm patterns has become more accessible.
Meanwhile, UCS remains committed to highlighting these harms and advocating for evidence-based policy, especially with your support:
- Join the fight by contacting your Senators and Representatives and urging them to co-sponsor the Scientific Integrity Act, which would codify scientific integrity protections across federal agencies.
- Stay informed about other scientific integrity actions via this link.
- Follow my UCS colleagues’ efforts in calling out unjust and authoritarian actions by the Trump administration. They often provide additional ways to help and get involved.
- Sign up for email updates to stay informed about our observations.
The journey ahead is challenging, but awareness and engagement are crucial. Together, we can mitigate the damage and advocate for science that benefits us all.
