A group of 12 European governments is advocating for a strategy to attract top researchers from the US, following the announcement of significant funding cuts to education and research under President Donald Trump's administration.

The governments of France, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Spain, Slovenia, Germany, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania emphasised the urgency of making the European Union a more appealing destination for displaced academics in a letter to European Commissioner for Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva. An "attractivity boom" is advocated in the letter, which Politico saw and reported on, to give scientists in the US who are dealing with "research interference and ill-motivated and brutal funding cuts" more chances. The letter makes strong references to the worsening research climate under the Trump administration, even though the US is not specifically mentioned. It calls on the European Commission to take immediate action and cautions that "freedom of science can be put at risk anywhere and at any time."

Philippe Baptiste, the French minister of research, reaffirmed France's intention to spearhead the initiative. "It is urgent to organise ourselves to welcome talents who would like or need to leave the United States," he said to Politico. The proposed measures include setting up dedicated research funding, simplifying immigration rules for incoming scientists, and strengthening partnerships with leading research nations. The signatory countries have also urged the European Commission to organise a meeting of EU research ministers soon to finalise a strategy. Since taking office in January, Trump has significantly reduced government funding for research and education. The US Department of Education has started cutting nearly half of its staff, and major universities like Johns Hopkins University have laid off employees due to the loss of federal grants.

Columbia University faced a major financial setback when the White House cancelled $400 million in grants and contracts on March 7, citing claims of "antisemitic harassment" on campus. This included 400 grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) worth $250 million. As a result of the crackdown, an Indian PhD student, Ranjani Srinivasan, left the U.S. after her student visa was revoked for allegedly participating in pro-Palestine protests. The University of Pennsylvania is one of the latest institutions affected by a funding cut, with the Trump administration announcing a $175 million reduction due to its policies allowing transgender women to compete in women's sports. This decision came after the president's February executive order that reversed NCAA rules permitting transgender athletes to join teams matching their gender identity. Despite media reports, UPenn stated they have not yet received any official notice from the government regarding this matter.

The significant funding cuts have led many research institutions to impose hiring freezes, reduce budgets, and limit PhD admissions, raising concerns about the future of scientific innovation in the US. With this uncertainty, European universities may become a safe haven for scientists affected by these changes. The Free University of Brussels (VUB) said Monday that it would be hiring 12 new researchers from throughout the world, with an emphasis on hiring American scholars. The "Safe Space for Science" initiative, also started by Aix-Marseille University in France, aims to offer a safe space for researchers who feel "threatened or hindered" in their work.