Nearly 2,000 scientists, engineers and researchers wrote a open letter This week to the administration of President Donald Trump, calling for a “attack” against science.
The letter was signed by elected members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, an approved organization of the Congress which Provides an independent analysis and helps to clarify public policy decisions.
The group clearly indicated that the signatories expressed their own opinions and not those of national academies or their establishments of origin.
“We are talking as an individual. We are seeing a real danger right now,” said the letter in part. “We have various political beliefs, but we are united as researchers wanting to protect an independent scientific investigation. We send this SOS to seem a clear warning: the country’s scientific enterprise is decimated.”
“We call on the administration to cease its assault against the American sciences, and we urge the public to join this call,” continued the letter.
President Donald Trump walks from the oval office to get on the navy One on the southern lawn of the White House on the way to Florida, March 28, 2025, in Washington.
Mark Schiefelbein / AP
The group called the Trump administration for actions, including the end of research funding, the dismissal of scientists and the deletion of public access to data.
Recently, several active research subsidies linked to studies involving LGBTQ +problems, as well as gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion, were Canceled at the National Institutes of Health. According to letters of termination sent to researchers from various universities that were examined by ABC News, the projects were canceled because they did not serve the “priorities” of the current administration.
In addition, earlier this year, the staff was dismissed through the Ministry of Health and Social Services as part of the effort of the Elon Musk Government Ministry for reduce of the federal government.
Earlier this month, HHS also seemed to have withdrew a web page from the general surgeon’s office This included an opinion on armed violence. In a statement to ABC News, the HHS said that the ministry “and the general surgeon’s office comply with President Trump’s decree on the protection of the rights of the second amendment”.
The White House did not immediately respond to the request for comments from ABC News on the letter.
“If the research company of our country is dismantled, we will lose our scientific advantage,” continues the letter. “Other countries will lead the development of new disease treatments, clean energy sources and new technologies of the future. Their populations will be healthier, and their savings will exceed us in business, defense, information collection and health monitoring of our planet.
The letter comes as layoffs start in HHS, including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Food and Drug Administration.
Up to 10,000 people should lose their jobs in this series of layoffs, an amount that could considerably change the roles and capacities of the ministry. This is added to nearly 10,000 that have already left the agency in recent months thanks to buyout offers or early pensions.
Hannah Demissie, Cheyenne Haslett and Eic Strauss contributed to this report.