Renewed Threat to JPL and NASA
The Trump administration's 2027 budget request to Congress proposes a devastating 23% cut to NASA funding, including a severe 46% reduction to its science programs. This aggressive cost-cutting threatens the very existence of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and would cancel 53 vital science missions.
Projects at risk include a mission to orbit Venus, the continued operation of the Perseverance rover currently exploring Mars, and numerous next-generation observatories. This push to gut NASA's scientific endeavors comes alongside sweeping proposed cuts across federal research agencies, including a 55% reduction to the National Science Foundation and a 12.5% cut to the National Institutes of Health.
The budget explicitly targets programs involving climate change, clean energy, and diversity, labeling vital scientific research as "woke" or part of a "green new scam."
Source: Los Angeles Times - Renewed threat to JPL as Trump administration tries again to cut NASAPrevious Instances of Science and Research Cuts
Leaving the WHO
July 6, 2020
The Trump Administration announced the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization , cutting off funding and jeopardizing global efforts to combat infectious diseases, including pandemic preparedness.
View SourceAttacking Universities
January 1, 2025
Trump launched a campaign against elite universities, accusing them of antisemitism and 'anti-American' values. He used an executive order to threaten federal funding, initiated DOJ investigations, and led public smear campaigns against students and faculty, calling them 'terrorist sympathizers.'
View SourceCutting Research Funds
January 1, 2025
The administration cut funds that support NIH medical research grants, limiting indirect expenses and threatening to cause layoffs, suspend clinical trials, and delay progress at institutions like St. Jude and UTHSC. A federal judge blocked the policy.
View SourceForeign Aid Pause
January 20, 2025
Executive Order 14169 mandated a 90-day pause on all foreign development assistance, immediately halting funding for USAID programs and impacting global HIV/AIDS prevention and food security initiatives.
View SourceFederal Grant Pause
January 27, 2025
The Office of Management and Budget ordered a temporary halt to all federal grants to prevent funding for programs related to diversity, equity, climate change, and "transgenderism."
View SourceFreezing Federal Grants
January 27, 2025
Trump issued an executive order halting nearly all federal grants, disrupting everything from infrastructure projects to lifesaving medical research at St. Jude. A federal judge blocked the order, ruling Trump lacked the authority to withhold congressionally appropriated funds.
View SourceSlashing Clean Energy
February 10, 2025
The administration slashed funding for federal clean energy programs, connected to the DOGE mandate and the OMB order halting climate funding. This included massive $21B cuts and defunding of targeted state projects.
View SourceGutting Watchdogs
February 18, 2025
An executive order was issued to strip independent regulatory agencies of their autonomy by requiring their rules and budgets to be cleared by the White House, a move to consolidate power.
View SourceZero-Based Regulatory Budgeting
February 19, 2025
The Department of Government Efficiency launched a 'Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting' process, requiring agencies to eliminate two regulations for every new one proposed, effectively paralyzing the rulemaking capacity of agencies like the EPA and OSHA.
View SourceWithholding Grants from Blue States
February 9, 2026
The Trump administration announced plans to withhold over $1.5 billion in public health and transportation grants from Democratic-led states including California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota, citing unsubstantiated concerns over fraud. The cuts target programs for electric vehicle chargers and research into health impacts on minority populations.
View SourceRepealing Climate Science
February 10, 2026
The EPA announced it would revoke the 2009 'endangerment finding' that greenhouse gases threaten public health, effectively dismantling the legal basis for U.S. climate policy. The move ignores a recent National Academies report reaffirming the scientific consensus on climate change.
View SourceDismantling Climate Research
February 10, 2026
The administration is dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Colorado, calling it a "stronghold for left-wing climate lunacy." This occurred right before a major wind event where NCAR's data was crucial for safety.
View SourceRenewed Threat to JPL and NASA Funding
April 19, 2026
The Trump administration proposed a 23% cut to NASA funding, including a 46% cut to its science programs, threatening 53 science missions and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Read more about the history of science funding cuts here.