The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has finalized a new rule that will simplify the dismissal of government sector employees, including scientists.
On February 5, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved a new civil service classification titled “Policy/Career.” This change affects officials whose work is directly linked to the formation of government policy. As a result, they will lose the robust legal protections that previously shielded them from politically motivated termination.
Critics of the decision argue that this status blurs the line between independent professionals and political figures. They contend that any specialist whose scientific or expert findings contradict the administration’s course could be dismissed as easily as a member of the political team.
The OPM projects that approximately 50,000 federal employees will be reclassified as a result of the reform. Particular attention is being paid to agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where individuals responsible for awarding scientific grants may now fall into this new category.
The administration explains that this move will increase the executive branch’s accountability to voters and put an end to bureaucrats pursuing their own interests. However, the scientific community and professional unions view the decision as political interference in science. Opponents believe the process will silence critical voices and replace competent professionals with politically loyal personnel.
The rule is set to take effect in early March. Scientists fear that equating grant distribution and scientific expertise with political decision-making will erase the boundary between objective assessment and political propaganda, thereby threatening the fundamental principles of American science.
