Trump Administration FY 2027 Budget Request Reiterates Proposals for Research Cuts

Recent budget and appropriations activities highlight a continued divide between the Administration and Congress over the future of federal research and development (R&D) funding. While the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposed significant reductions across major science and regulatory agencies, Congress largely acted to preserve core funding for research, innovation, and infrastructure in the final appropriations process completed at the close of January 2026.  

The FY27 President’s Budget renewed and, in some cases, proposed deeper reductions across key federal science and engineering agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH). At the same time, congressional action in FY26 suggests sustained bipartisan support for maintaining federal R&D investments, particularly as artificial intelligence applications both enable and disrupt the global research ecosystem. 

A comparison across FY26 proposed and enacted funding and the FY27 President’s budget request highlights stark differences in priorities: 

National Science Foundation (NSF) 

• FY26 President’s Budget Request: $3.9 billion 

• FY26 Enacted Appropriations: $8.75 billion 

• FY27 President’s Budget Request: ~$4.0 billion 

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 

• FY26 President’s Budget Request: ~$833 million 

• FY26 Enacted Appropriations: ~$1.85 billion 

• FY27 President’s Budget Request: ~$800 million (55% reduction from FY26) 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

• FY26 President’s Budget Request: ~4.5 billion (~50% reduction from FY25) 

• FY26 Enacted Appropriations: ~$8.8 billion (-3.4% from FY25) 

• FY27 President’s Budget Request: $4.2 billion (~52% reduction from FY26) 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

• FY26 President’s Budget Request: ~$27-30 billion (~40% reduction) 

• FY26 Enacted Appropriations: ~$47.5 billion (+415 million increase) 

• FY27 President’s Budget Request: $41 billion ($5 billion decrease) 

The Administration’s FY26 and FY27 budget proposals signal a preference for reduced federal investment in R&D, including cuts to basic research, manufacturing support programs, environmental infrastructure, and biomedical research. In some cases, these proposals include the elimination or restructuring of long-standing programs such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and Manufacturing USA programs.