Trump targets U.S. research universities, risks innovation decline

Former President Trump is intensifying his attacks on U.S. research universities, threatening to punish those allowing protests and canceling significant funding for institutions like Columbia University. This marks a shift in Republican tactics against higher education. Trump's administration aims to cut the National Science Foundation's budget by two-thirds and restrict funding from the National Institutes of Health. These actions have led many universities to halt hiring and reduce Ph.D. programs. As a result, the U.S. risks falling behind China in research and innovation. China is already producing more highly cited papers and Ph.D.s in science and engineering than the U.S.