France considers welcoming researchers fleeing the US

Photo: AFP

France is asking its research institutions to think about how they can welcome scientists who are leaving the United States because of President Donald Trump's policies.

Since Trump returned as president, his government has cut federal funding for important research that saves lives. He has also removed many government workers who were working on health and climate issues.

France's Minister for Higher Education and Research, Philippe Baptiste, wrote a letter to French research institutions about this. In his letter, he said, "Many well-known researchers are now wondering about their future in the United States. We would like to welcome some of them to France."

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Baptiste also asked research leaders to send him "specific ideas on which scientific fields and technologies should be a priority."

This week, Aix-Marseille University, a well-known university in southern France, announced a special program to welcome American researchers. This program will focus on scientists working on climate change.

Besides these cuts in research funding, Trump's billionaire tech ally, Elon Musk, has also made several reductions in funding. Trump has also pulled the United States out of important global agreements like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement, which aim to protect public health and fight climate change.

Because of these actions, scientists across the United States held protests on Friday. In France, scientists in the city of Toulouse also joined in to show their support.

One of Trump's most controversial decisions was appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—a well-known vaccine skeptic—as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services. This decision has upset many scientists who believe in vaccines and public health research.

Now, France is looking for ways to give these researchers a new place to continue their work.