The Trump administration fired the National Science Foundation board in early May 2026, and thousands of researchers including National Academy of Sciences experts signed an open letter denouncing the action as an attack on U.S. science. The broader context: NSF research funding is severely constrained under the current administration—as of May 1, the agency had committed only 10 percent of its congressionally appropriated budget, roughly half the normal rate—and the administration has suspended at least 18 UC Berkeley research grants in April despite a court order restricting such suspensions. This firing removes the board's capacity to review and challenge funding decisions, giving the administration wider latitude to reshape the agency's priorities without institutional oversight.