This article is short and sweet but also paywalled, so here it is:
The federal grant freeze and cuts to the workforce have disrupted scientific research in the United States (see Nature https://doi.org/n9nm; 2025). But these changes could create opportunities for scholars elsewhere, who have historically competed with well-funded US teams.
One outcome might be a rise in the influence of non-US funding agencies. The National Natural Science Foundation of China is expanding its International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Programme to support global collaborations. With US funding for international partnerships in decline, China-led initiatives might become more attractive. Similarly, funding bodies in other Asian nations and in Europe, along with private foundations, could become more important in shaping global research priorities.
Although the long-term effects remain uncertain, the situation in the United States underscores the risks of research being overly reliant on a single nation. Globally, a more balanced and diversified funding landscape is essential to sustaining scientific progress.