France Opens Doors for Scientists Leaving ‘Trump’s America’

France has urged its research institutions to explore ways to welcome scientists leaving the United States due to President Donald Trump’s policies.

According to sources cited by AFP, the French government is actively seeking to attract researchers affected by funding cuts and job losses under Trump’s second term. His administration has slashed federal grants for life-saving research and dismissed hundreds of scientists working on health and climate change.

French Minister of Higher Education and Research, Philippe Baptiste, has written to research institutions, stating that many renowned scientists are already reconsidering their future in the U.S. “Naturally, we would like to welcome some of them,” he wrote, urging French institutions to submit proposals on integrating top talent in priority scientific and technological fields.

Earlier this week, a university in Marseille announced a special program to accommodate American researchers, particularly those focused on climate change.

Under the oversight of billionaire advisor Elon Musk, Trump’s administration has implemented deep cuts to federal employment while also withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization.

In response, scientists staged protests in multiple U.S. cities on Friday, with solidarity demonstrations held in the French city of Toulouse, where American researchers received support from their French colleagues.

Additionally, Trump’s decision to appoint vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of health and human services agencies has further fueled concerns within the scientific community.