Government Shutdowns Disrupt Science
Science consistently suffers during government shutdowns. Funding interruptions force government scientists to stop working without pay. Federal agencies halt new grant programs, pause expert review panels, and suspend the collection and analysis of critical public data on the economy, environment, and public health.
Increased Stakes in 2025
The 2025 shutdown carries greater consequences than previous ones. It happens amid major upheaval in American science and innovation, driven by President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to expand executive power and political influence over scientific institutions.
Changing the U.S. Research System
The Trump administration is not merely reforming but attempting to completely remake the U.S. research system. With the shutdown now in its fifth week and no resolution foreseeable, major federal research policies are being rapidly and controversially altered.
Impact on Research Universities and the Social Contract
These policy shifts rewrite the existing social contract between the government and research universities, where funding and scientific autonomy are exchanged for the promise of public benefits from research outcomes.
Author's Perspective
As a physicist and policy scholar who studies American science policy and depends on federal grants, I have a direct interest in the evolving state of U.S. science funding. My work includes examining the history and governance of national research and development investments.
"This shutdown arrives at a time of massive upheaval to American science and innovation driven by President Donald Trump’s ongoing attempts to extend executive power and assert political control of scientific institutions."
"The Trump administration’s rapid and contentious changes to federal research policy are rewriting the social contract between the U.S. government and research universities – where the government provides funding and autonomy in exchange for the promise of downstream public benefits."
Summary: The 2025 government shutdown severely disrupts U.S. science during a period of significant political interference, threatening research funding, institutional autonomy, and the partnership between government and universities.