Europe Courts Scientists Amid Trump’s Focus on Researchers

The Trump administration’s proposal to drastically reduce support for research institutions and halt federal funding for universities like Harvard and Columbia has prompted European leaders to offer financial assistance to US-based researchers, viewing it as a “huge miscalculation.”

French President Emmanuel Macron remarked on Monday, “A few years ago, it was unimaginable that one of the world’s great democracies would dismiss a research program simply because the term ‘diversity’ was included.”

He made these comments at the University of Sorbonne in Paris during an event named Europe for Science, which was organized by the French government and the European Union.

Macron indicated that countries heavily reliant on free scientific inquiry would be making an “unthinkable mistake” in their policies.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced a €500 million ($566 million) investment at a conference aimed at making Europe an attractive destination for researchers over the next two years.

While this sum pales in comparison to the significant cuts besieging American universities, Von der Leyen highlighted a $100 billion international research initiative, Horizon Europe, dedicated to scientific advancements like genome sequencing and mRNA vaccines.

Although she did not mention the U.S. directly, she characterized the global climate as one where “basic, free, and open research is under scrutiny.”

She exclaimed, “What a huge miscalculation!”

In Europe, there is a growing consensus that Trump’s approach has forsaken traditional American values of freedom, liberty of expression, and democracy, especially through his ties with autocrats and the undermining of science and higher education. This shift has not only affected the markets but also sparked a sense of opportunity across the continent. Attracting top scientific talent to vibrant and independent universities is viewed as part of a broader initiative to establish Europe as a formidable global player.

In the long term, the European Commission, the EU’s enforcement body, plans to enshrine scientific freedom into a law known as the European Studies Area Act and to double grants for researchers who confront adversity.

“Our primary goal is to ensure that European science remains open and free. It’s our hallmark,” von der Leyen emphasized.

The conference, attended by government officials and prominent researchers from across Europe, was predominantly driven by the Trump administration’s assault on science and threats to educational institutions. Increasingly, the U.S. is being perceived as a strategic adversary, and welcoming American researchers is seen as a long-term strategy to counter this threat.

This was Macron’s call to scientists: “If you cherish freedom, assist us in safeguarding it.”

Recently, France unveiled a program aimed at attracting U.S.-based researchers, pledging to cover up to 50% of the funding required to entice international scholars, particularly in fields under attack from the Trump administration, such as climate science and sustainable energy. However, specific funding was only confirmed on Monday, with Macron committing $113 million to the initiative.

The alarm in Europe grew as the Trump administration enacted job cuts and froze funding for major U.S. research institutions. Disappointment intensified when the U.S. government targeted diversity programs and attempted to dictate which fields of study and research were permissible, as noted by Harvard President Alan M. Gerber.

Harvard has initiated legal action against the Trump administration over a $2.2 billion funding freeze. Last week, Trump suggested revoking Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

The U.S. government has also terminated staff at leading scientific research centers, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, the largest biomedical research funder worldwide.

Concurrently, some federal agencies have scrubbed specific terminology deemed objectionable by the Trump administration from their websites and applications. Terms like “climate science,” “diversity,” and “gender” have been labeled as taboo.

Collectively, these actions have fostered a climate of unease within academic and research institutions, raising concerns not only regarding their ongoing work but also the long-term sustainability of research in the U.S.

French Education Minister Elizabeth Bourne articulated this sentiment during a meeting on Monday: “In the United States, academic freedom faces challenges as it once was a haven for researchers. The boundary between truth and falsehood is blurring, compromising the distinction between fact and belief.”

French universities are on the frontline, aiming to capitalize on the potential brain drain from the U.S. AIX Marseille University has interviewed roughly 300 candidates for this purpose as part of a program initiated in March, responding to the cuts imposed by the Trump administration. Many other institutions have since adopted similar measures.

“In alignment with our self-interest and values, we must now become a refuge for knowledge wherever it faces pressure,” stated Lewis Vassy, President of the University of Science PO in Paris.

A proposal by former French President François Hollande aims to establish a legal status for “scientific refugees” who face threats to their research endeavors in their home countries.

However, some university presidents and professors have criticized this initiative, arguing that while France seeks to attract American researchers, it is simultaneously cutting higher education and research budgets to tackle the nation’s growing budget deficit.