US White House releases 2027 budget proposal with drastic funding cuts to scientific research

The United States White House has released a 2027 budget proposal that suggests drastic funding reductions across several major federal scientific institutions.

The budget, published on 04/04/2026, proposes double-digit cuts to nearly every major federal research agency. Key proposed reductions include:
- National Science Foundation (NSF): A 55% cut, dropping its budget from $9 billion (€7.68bn) to $4 billion.
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): A 23% cut overall, with its science budget halved and over 40 "low-priority missions" eliminated.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): A 52% cut to the agency overall, with a 32% cut to its Science and Technology account.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH): A 12% cut, including a 37% cut to the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).
- Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): A 41% cut overall, though some of this is due to shifting programmes to a new agency; the net decrease is estimated at roughly 15%.

The budget represents a major recalibration of federal spending, prioritising defence and…