In a recent news, the Trump administration informed Australian university researchers that a temporary pause in funding was implemented, aiming to align federal spending with the priorities of the American people. The memo, obtained by Guardian Australia, suggested that funding should not be spent on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), woke gender ideology, or the green new deal.

University sector sources confirmed that the US has halted research funding for six universities since Trump took office, with ANU being the first to publicly acknowledge such a termination related to a social science project. The projects covered a range of topics, including agriculture, foreign aid, social science, and geology, and were canceled pending a review as part of US higher education cuts.

The memo stated that it is the duty of the executive branch to align federal spending with the will of the American people, focusing taxpayer dollars on a safer and stronger America, eliminating the financial burden of inflation, and promoting efficiency in government. It further mentioned that using federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars and does not improve the day-to-day lives of citizens.

The Universities Australia CEO, Luke Sheehy, expressed concern over funding being withdrawn by the US, the biggest foreign partner of Australian universities. He called for the Australian government to provide clarity and explore alternative funding sources, such as joining Horizon Europe, a scientific collaborative research fund

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/20/australian-university-researchers-told-woke-gender-ideology-among-reasons-behind-trump-funding-cuts