'Anti-American Values' Test for Federal Grants Is Anti-American
A new proposal would turn non-partisan government funding for science, health, housing, and transportation into tools of the president.
According to the proposal, applications for Federal funding would need to “demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities,” and must not “promote anti-American values.”
These two requirements are at odds with each other. Requiring merit-based awardees to advance the president’s priorities is itself anti-American. Our government was intentionally designed to diffuse power, not concentrate it in the presidency. Power is shared among those who support and don’t support the president’s priorities. In the words of James Madison, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition” (Federalist #51).
I understand the impulse behind this proposal. During the Obama administration in particular, many sectors of the scientific community would’ve found themselves in hot water if their findings were at odds with progressive orthodoxy. This was a real problem I wrote about a lot at the time. But the answer to the problem of political pressure on scientists is not more political pressure on scientists.
This proposal is top-down, centralized government-style rule making. In other words, it does not reflect American values. More than that, it doesn’t reflect conservative values. This is Big Government — the sort of thing Republicans used to at least say they’re against.
For my Republican friends, here is one more thing to consider: if this proposal goes into effect, it will still be in effect the next time a Democrat enters the White House. Is that what you want?
The proposal is currently open for public comments. For information on how to do that, go here and click on “Public Comments” in the left column.
Sources:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/29/2026-10817/regulation-for-federal-financial-assistance#addresses
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/02/us/politics/trump-budget-grants-omb-vought.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/03/trump-public-funding-proposal
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