In 2025, President Donald Trump announced his budget plan for the 2026 fiscal year. This plan suggests cutting a lot of money from important areas like scientific research, protecting the environment, and clean energy projects. For example, the plan suggests:
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Cutting $15 billion from renewable energy programs and carbon capture projects.
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Taking away almost $18 billion from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which helps fund medical research.
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Reducing the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by half.
Critics argue that the budget plan seems to attack efforts to fight climate change and protect civil rights.
Criticism: Racism and Anti-Science Language
Gretchen Goldman, who is the president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, strongly criticized the budget. She said the proposal includes harmful and disrespectful language. Some parts of the budget target programs that support minorities, like the Economic Development Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency. These programs are described as giving money to "idealogues" (people with extreme beliefs). The budget also attacks projects focused on climate change, such as a project in Portland called “Pride Plaza.”
Big Cuts to Weather and Climate Agencies
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is facing a $1.3 billion cut. This would mean stopping some important programs, like educational programs about climate change and the launch of new weather satellites. FEMA, which helps during disasters, would lose $646 million. This is despite more and more costly natural disasters happening every year because of climate change.
Cuts to Clean Energy and Infrastructure Programs
The budget also wants to take away $15.2 billion from a law called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This law had planned to fund clean energy projects. The budget cuts would include taking away $5.7 billion for building electric vehicle (EV) chargers and stopping investments in battery and EV manufacturing. This could lead to legal problems because Congress already agreed to this funding.
Cuts to Health, Science, and Environmental Justice
The EPA could lose over $4.2 billion. This would affect programs that clean up pollution, especially in communities that suffer from it the most. The budget also proposes a big cut to the NIH, almost 40%. The budget criticizes what it calls "radical gender ideology." Health experts worry these cuts will harm public health and misrepresent medical science, putting vulnerable people at risk.
This budget plan has many people worried about its impact on climate change, public health, and support for minority communities. Many believe it could make it harder to address important issues like climate change and public health, and that it undermines science and fairness.
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