A new government shutdown in the United States, which began on 1 October 2025, has once again thrown the country's research and innovation ecosystem into turmoil. The political deadlock between Republicans and Democrats over the federal budget has halted funding for key scientific agencies, affecting everything from NASA missions to university research grants, and raising alarms across the global scientific community.

This is not the first time Washington's political gridlock has disrupted science. Since 2013, the US has faced three shutdowns, including a record one during Donald Trump's first term, which lasted over a month and cost the economy an estimated $3 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. But this time, experts warn, the stakes are higher - because research systems are already weakened after years of budget uncertainty and climate policy reversals.

Neal Lane, a physicist and former White House science adviser under Bill Clinton, described the shutdown's impact as "severe and demoralizing." During the closure, grant proposals at key agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) are not being reviewed, and no funds are being disbursed to universities. "The longer the shutdown lasts, the closer we will get to setting back American science for a year or more," Lane warned.

Even members of the Republican Party expressed concern. Congressman Brian Babin, who chairs the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, acknowledged that "a government shutdown threatens to grind America's science and technology enterprise to a halt." He pointed out that critical NASA missions tied to national security could face indefinite delays, while "cuttiedge research could be stalled."

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the largest scientific organizations in the world, strongly criticized the paralysis. Its CEO, Sudip Parikh, stated that closing the government is "no way to unleash US innovation." He warned that the prolonged political impasse "delays setting clear priorities for the nation's research enterprise and amplifies uncertainty that has enveloped the scientific community."

That uncertainty extends beyond borders. Many international collaborations depend on US funding and participation, from climate monitoring programs to biomedical research. Field studies on federal lands are being suspended, and access to key facilities has been restricted. Joanne Padrón Carney, the AAAS's chief government relations officer, cautioned that these disruptions could have loterm effects, especially if structural changes to federal agencies occur during the shutdown.

Academic and research advocacy groups - including the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Science Coalition - issued joint statements urging Congress and the White House to restore funding immediately. They warned that the suspension of grants will disrupt laboratory operations, affect graduate students, and damage the credibility of the US as a global research leader. Major scientific societies such as the American Chemical Society (ACS) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), meanwhile, declined to comment, reflecting growing fatigue within the sector.

For John Holdren, former science adviser to Barack Obama, the situation represents the culmination of years of erosion in US science policy. "Even before this shutdown, federal research funding had suffered badly," he said, noting deep cuts in climate research, renewable energy, and public health. He also pointed to the revocation of research grants under the Trump administration and the loss of international talent, as scientists from abroad face growing barriers to work in the US.

"I can only say that, even without a shutdown, the administration's stance on federal research has been a disaster for science and, as a consequence, for the US economy, environment, and global standing," Holdren concluded. "A prolonged shutdown could only make it all even worse."

Former NIH director Jeremy Berg echoed that uncertainty, noting that in previous shutdowns agencies sought to minimize disruptions. "That is no longer the case," he said. "It is unclear how long this shutdown will last or how agencies will handle the situation - but it's clear that the damage to research continuity and scientific confidence is already done."

As the political standoff continues, universities and research centers around the world brace for ripple effects. From climate observation projects in the Arctic to biotech partnerships in Latin America, the temporary halt in US funding could slow down data collection, delay joint programs, and undermine multilateral progress. Once again, science and innovation - engines of economic and environmental resilience - are caught in the crossfire of partisan politics.