DC Policy Update

The Trump administration has issued over 40 executive orders and memorandums since taking office. Here, we offer a quick synopsis regarding the actions that are mostly directly related to the work of our community. For more details related to the recent presidential actions and science policy, please see AIP's FYI Newsletter.

On 20 January 2025, an executive order titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing” was released, directing the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), with assistance from the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, to terminate all policies and programs in the federal government that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within 60 days. On 27 January 2025, a memorandum to OMB with the subject line of “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs” instructed all federal agencies to temporarily pause all grants, loans, and financial assistance programs while they are reviewed to ensure they are consistent with the administration's new requirements. This memo was rescinded two days later, on 29 January 2025, leaving many researchers to believe that their federal grants were safe from the freeze. However, the White House press secretary posted on X on the afternoon of the 29th, shortly after the memo was released, to state that the rescission of the OMB memo "is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo." On 2 February 2025, a federal judge temporarily blocked the pause on federal funding. Following this Temporary Restraining Order, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reopened its payment system for NSF awardees. While funding is not currently frozen, NASA has paused meetings of their analysis/assessment groups in light of the recent executive orders. 

We will continue to update the community as the situation develops. If you have questions or comments, feel free to stop by the AAS Policy and Education Office Hours.