U.S. scientists weigh emigration amid Trump education cuts
Trump's education cuts prompt 75% of U.S. scientists to consider moving abroad, seeking stability in Canada and Europe.
Published on March 28, 2025
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Trump administration cuts to education are making many American scientists rethink their careers. In a recent poll by scientific journal Nature, 75% of responding researchers contemplate leaving the country due to funding and administrative turbulence caused by the newly elected government.
Over three-quarters of the 1,200 scientists who responded to the journal’s poll are considering leaving the country to move to Canada or Europe. The trend is particularly noticeable among early-career researchers, who have faced significant challenges, such as lost funding and disrupted career paths.
Trump education cuts
The Trump administration's policy shifts, including funding cuts and administrative changes, have greatly impacted the landscape for scientific research in the United States. Almost half of the Department of Education's staff has been affected by these cuts, with many key projects abruptly halted, leaving years of investment and potential advancements in limbo. The administration's actions have created an unstable environment for scientists, especially early-career researchers who depend heavily on grant funding and institutional support for their professional development.
Many scientists quoted by Nature attribute their potential emigration to an increasingly uncertain climate for research, with academic freedom under pressure and collaboration opportunities disrupted. Countries like Canada and European nations are appealing due to existing networks and perceived stability. The Dutch government–as well as those of neighboring countries–are working to attract foreign scientists. Minister of Education Eppo Bruins has tasked the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to set up a fund to recruit scientists.
A contradiction
If attracting foreign scientists is a well-intentioned initiative, there are serious concerns about the state of Dutch higher education. The currently in consultation “Internationalization in Balance” act would reduce the number of international students and put forward cuts to education and research. Dutch universities have been rallying against the proposed cuts to education, underlining how they would hamper economic growth and creativity.
As written in a recent op-ed by Bart Brouwers: “Without a broader, consistent vision of the future of higher education in the Netherlands – including funding, workload, internationalization, and academic freedom – it will remain stuck in symptom management. A country that, on the one hand, opens its doors to top scientists but, on the other hand, structurally undermines the foundation of science will ultimately not be the knowledge nation it claims to want to be.”
As American scientists mull over their future, some of them are already moving abroad. At the same time, others see the challenges ahead, wanting to stay for the moment, but they might leave if budget cuts will be severe.
