The Trump administration’s proposed sweeping cuts to federal science funding and its broader opposition toward scientific institutions represent a profound threat to the United States’ innovation enterprise. While these cuts have been framed as a move toward efficiency and the elimination of ideological bias, the reality has been far more expansive: These actions risk dismantling the very infrastructure that has underpinned US scientific excellence for decades. While not specifically targeting optics and photonics, this reversal of longstanding bicameral and bipartisan support for science will have broad negative impacts on our community.
On the last Friday of May, as many Americans turned their attention to the weekend, the Trump administration released its Technical Supplement to the 2026 Budget detailing the proposed cuts to federally funded science. While the document cannot dictate the actual spending—authority for appropriating funds resides with Congress—it reveals the current administration’s lack of support for science and will test the traditional bipartisanship that has kept the US at the forefront of science and technology.
While these proposed cuts are making their way through the appropriations process, the administration is terminating active research grants and trying to dictate workforce reductions that are impeding scientific progress. The abrupt cancellation of these projects not only squanders taxpayer money already invested but also halts progress on some of the most pressing challenges facing society today.
It cannot be overstated that public R&D investment is a social good. A 2023 working paper from the Dallas Federal Reserve titled “The Returns to Government R&D: Evidence from U.S. Appropriations Shocks” estimated the aggregate dynamic effects of changes in government R&D spending. The analysis of jumps in post-war public investments at the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and National Science Foundation (NSF) finds causal increases in private investment and in business sector productivity. At the same time, a positive jump in non-defense R&D appropriations leads to a gradual increase in aggregate Total Factor Productivity (a primary driver of GDP growth) that appears over 8- to 15-year horizons. This work estimates rates of return on non-defense R&D between 150% and 300%, values that are considerably higher than returns on public infrastructure, for example. On this basis, the authors conclude there is a substantial underinvestment in non-defense R&D, and yet the administration plans to lower this investment.
These cuts are not just budgetary—they reflect a broader ideological shift that deprioritizes foundational research and development. For the optics and photonics community, this means fewer grants, fewer collaborative opportunities, and a shrinking pipeline of trained researchers. Administration criticism of diversity and inclusion in training and research grants, aimed at growing the STEM workforce needed for the future, exacerbates this pipeline problem. Policy changes to limit the number of non-US citizens allowed to enter the country for education and research purposes, further erodes the pool of talent required for innovation, growth, and opportunity.
Now is when the optics and photonics community must take a stand—and SPIE has made available a robust set of advocacy resources to empower scientists, engineers, and students to engage with policymakers. Through our Advocacy and Public Policy portal, SPIE makes it easy to contact your representatives with pre-written messages or customizable templates and stay informed about legislation affecting science and technology funding.
The stakes are high. The global photonics market is projected to exceed $1 trillion in the coming years, and the extraordinary growth our industry enjoys is unlikely to continue if foundational research falters. If the US continues to undermine its own scientific institutions, progress in critical domains will suffer.
Moreover, the erosion of trust in science—fueled by political rhetoric and the sidelining of expert advice—has broader implications for public policy. Rigorous science is required to inform and enhance decision-making. Optics and photonics professionals have a unique role to play in this effort, not only through their research but also through their voices.
If the US is to maintain leadership in science and innovation, it must reaffirm its commitment to supporting rigorous, independent research. Anything less is a disservice to the nation’s past achievements—and a surrender of its future potential.
Kent Rochford is the CEO of SPIE.
