More than 60 scientists and staff members at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have issued a rare open letter, strongly criticizing the Trump administration’s sweeping budget cuts. According to the letter, these reductions jeopardize public health, politicize scientific research, and waste public resources.
The letter, addressed to the NIH Director, the U.S. Secretary of Health, and members of Congress, was released ahead of a key Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the NIH budget.
In total, over 340 current and former NIH employees signed the letter — with approximately 250 requesting anonymity.
The letter outlines that since Trump took office, more than 2,100 research projects worth $9.5 billion have been canceled, along with contracts totaling $2.6 billion. These canceled initiatives were said to be critical for supporting scientific progress — from funding lab equipment to staffing clinical trials.
