Dutch scientists affected by U.S. policy changes under Trump administration
Dutch scientific and medical institutions are being directly impacted by new policies implemented under U.S. President Donald Trump, as American government scientists cancel conference appearances and withdraw from international collaborations.
The cancellations are linked to the policy shift in the United States, where Trump and his incoming health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., are reshaping the American health system. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which oversees an annual budget of nearly 50 billion dollars, has been subject to sweeping measures, including travel bans, hiring freezes, and halted grant disbursements.
The Global Albinism Alliance, based in the Netherlands, reported that several U.S. scientists canceled their participation in a virtual scientific conference this week, forcing portions of the event to be canceled.
"We are very disappointed. We have no speakers today," a spokesperson for the alliance told BNR. "We are uncertain about how this will develop. We are concerned, but we have to wait and see how this policy unfolds."
The restrictions on American scientists extend beyond participation in conferences. A memo from the NIH's National Eye Institute (NEI) confirmed an immediate suspension of all official travel.
"I am writing to inform you of an urgent update regarding official travel," the memo stated. "Last night, senior travel officials at [the Department of Health and Human Services] ordered all travel to be immediately and indefinitely suspended. The only exceptions are for returning individuals to their original departure point."
The guidance explicitly prohibits new travel requests for government scientists, including for virtual events. The NEI added that public speaking activities, such as presentations or conference appearances, are also suspended until further notice.
The policy changes are raising concerns among U.S. researchers, who fear the measures will hinder international collaboration and delay critical scientific progress.
"Even short delays will put the United States behind its international partners in research," said Jane Liebschütz, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, in a statement on Bluesky. She described the mood among colleagues as one of "uncertainty, fear, and panic."
The travel bans and grant freezes also jeopardize ongoing collaborations with Dutch institutions, which have historically relied on partnerships with American scientists.
The NIH is not the only agency affected by the Trump administration's budget cuts. A hiring freeze has been imposed across all U.S. federal agencies, and Trump has appointed tech billionaire Elon Musk to oversee spending reductions.
Koen Petersen, an expert on American policy, noted that all government activities under Trump must meet three criteria: making America stronger, wealthier, or safer. "Medical conferences, where the government pays travel and accommodation costs for U.S. participants, do not contribute to these goals. Therefore, such activities are being eliminated," Petersen explained.
