US Briefings: Trump’s attack on science and education

Only a few months into the new Trump administration, no one could have imagined this extent of damage on US democratic institutions, civil society and, globally, the international rules based order. Central targets of this agenda are educational and academic institutions. In late March, Trump signed an executive order calling to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, a long-time goal of American Conservatives and part of the Project 2025 agenda. In addition, the independence and funding of universities and scientific institutions are under fire. New government directives have restricted the inter-institutional communication of leading US scientific institutions.  DOGE has purged health agencies of their staff. The broader attack on science and public health, spearheaded by Robert F. Kennedy, has driven scientific institutions to scrub their records of certain vaccine research. The administration slashed $400 million USD in federal funding for Columbia University over campus protests against the war in Gaza. The administration is not only censoring language related to gender, LGBTQI+, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) of federal institutions, rather pressuring academic institutions to self-censor and thus manipulating the orientation of their research. 

In this context, migration and border policy is instrumentalised to attack universities and even individual researchers and students. Researchers have been detained at the border, causing many to cancel their US travel plans; some are even leaving their posts to work at universities in Canada. An opaque and extrajudicial deportation program has most recently been disappearing international students for exercising free speech; in the past few weeks, ICE detained multiple students – a list that will likely grow and become difficult to track in the coming months.

With this US Briefing, the Heinrich Böll Foundation aims to discuss these alarming developments. What is the background and possible reasons behind the Trump administration dismantling educational and scientific institutions? What impact have these measures already had on the integrity of science and education, and free speech? How can these institutions, civil society and individuals remain resilient and safe? Which possible courses of action are available?

With:

• Esha Bhandari, Deputy Director, ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project

Moderation: Ella Müller, Program Director Democracy, Heinrich Böll Foundation Washington, DC
 

After an interview with Esha Bhandari, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions in a Q&A session.

Contact: 
Deitra Myers
Division European Union and North America
E myers@boell.de

» Online participation in ZOOM
You can use either the Zoom Client software or the app. If you are using either the Chrome or Edge browsers you will be able to participate directly via the access link. For more information on how to use Zoom, click here.
Please make sure that you are using the latest version of Zoom so that you have the necessary settings. You will need a microphone and possibly a camera for events with audience participation.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation is not liable for issues arising from the use of Zoom software. Zoom's current privacy policy can be found here.

» Livestream
Alternatively, you can follow the event via livestream.
Livestream in English
Livestream in German