Inside Trump's Science Agenda: Anti-Science Claims, Fauci's Damage, DEI & China w/ Michael Kratsios

Summary

Michael Kratsios, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, defends the Trump administration's science agenda, arguing it is not anti-science but refocusing funding away from DEI and ineffective climate alarm toward basic research, young scientists, and big bold bets in space, quantum, fusion, nuclear, and AI. He frames US science as stagnating under inefficient NIH/NSF models and warns of a scientific race with China. Key market-relevant policy signals include support for nuclear, fusion, space, quantum, AI, solar plus batteries, and critical minerals independence.

• Kratsios says the administration wants to double US scientific output and restore gold-standard science.
• He criticizes DEI-related NSF grants and says the RCP 8.5 climate scenario was removed.
• NIH and NSF funding models are being revised with meta-science experiments, golden tickets, flexible grant durations, and individual-focused funding.
• Big government targets include Moon boots by 2028, moon base elements by 2030, a quantum computer by 2028, and fusion by 2035.
• He says the US must win on AI, quantum, nuclear, and bio amid China's rapid R&D spending growth and STEM talent gap.
• He highlights US critical minerals supply chain vulnerability and the need for independence.
• He blames Fauci and COVID-era dogmatism for damaging public trust in science.