The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) asserts that American science is facing significant threats, particularly under the current administration, which has implemented repressive measures that exclude scientists and the public from decision-making. The UCS highlights the dismantling of independent advisory committees, with 29 disbanded and nine disrupted, aiming to control which science is recognized.
Public health has been especially impacted, with the Trump administration’s ideologically motivated appointments undermining decades of advancements in medicine. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has experienced budget cuts and project cancellations, affecting over 5,400 initiatives, including vital research on various diseases. As a result, a chaotic work environment has emerged within the NIH, according to former director Jeremy Berg.
In April 2025, Trump enacted an executive order reviving the “Make America Healthy Again” slogan, which led to troubling changes in public health policy. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist, was appointed to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which quickly saw the dismissal of CDC director Susan Monarez and the firing of thousands of public health officials. By that time, nearly a quarter of HHS had left, and key divisions studying vaccine hesitancy and long COVID were disbanded.
Under Kennedy’s leadership, significant public health measures faced jeopardy, exemplified by a major measles outbreak. His new vaccine committee, populated mainly by his allies who oppose vaccination, revoked essential flu vaccination recommendations, reflecting a broader trend of anti-science and anti-scientific policies that threaten public health initiatives.
