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American knowledge institutions are under great pressure from the Trump administration. Many schools and institutes are robbed of their funding, and limitations on research and education are imposed.
For the past few months, the Trump administration has attacked research and education with mass firings, cuts in funding, and limitations to research. Research on climate, diversity, equality, and inclusion has been hit particularly hard. Primary school education may also be subject to restrictions regarding diversity, equality, and inclusion in order to continue to receive government support.
In addition, the administration is trying to shut down the US Department of Education. Trump signed an executive order on March 20th, 2025, to do so, but a complete shutdown will be impossible without Congress’s approval.
The attack on research and education has far-reaching consequences, including for science diplomacy. ScienceNorway.no recently reported that an American university has terminated its cooperation with the University of Bergen due to the challenging political climate in the US.
Jan-Gunnar Winther, Prorector for Research and Development at UiT the Arctic University of Norway. (Photo: UiT)
“Given the central role that American research has had, this is serious for several research fields, including health and climate. Further concern is connected to free research being under pressure,” says Jan-Gunnar Winther, Prorector for Research and Development at UiT the Arctic University of Norway, to High North News.
Free and independent research at risk
High North News has previously reported on what the American cutbacks could entail for Arctic research. Many researchers believe that the US is creating a vacuum that will be filled by China.
Three years after Russia invaded Ukraine and the subsequent loss of all research cooperation with the country, the region could now be about to lose yet another key actor in the North.
And even where research remains, some wonder how free and independent it really is. What consequences does this have for Arctic bilateral cooperation agreements?
“We are prepared for the possibility of restrictions on projects funded by various federal institutions. Given the central role that American research has played, this is serious for a number of research fields, including health and climate. Further concern is connected to free research being under pressure,” says Winther, and adds:
“In the Arctic, we have not had access to data and knowledge from Russia for some years, which accounts for half of the land area in the region. If American research efforts in the Arctic were to decline, it would exacerbate the already demanding situation that applies to Arctic research cooperation.”
Anna-Karin Lundin, press contact at Luleå University of Technology, says that this is also being discussed in Luleå, but the consequences of the American strategy are still unclear.
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