We’re up against China and we’re screwing round”: Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Donald Trump’s science policies

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s administration for what he describes as an “attack on science” that might undermine America’s technological competitiveness against China.
“This looks like a total attack on all of science in America,” Schmidt mentioned on the current AI+Biotechnology Summit hosted by the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology. “We’re up against China that is pouring a trillion dollars into this, and we’re screwing around with funding the core people to invent our future.”

Trump administration had reduce funding for universities and analysis companies

Since taking workplace in January, the Trump administration has reduce funding for presidency analysis, decreased staffing at key scientific companies, and positioned monetary stress on universities over their variety applications and campus protests.
Schmidt warned that many universities at the moment are underneath “hiring freezes” as a result of they’re “so scared of this administration, which appears to be withholding hundreds of millions of dollars from them.” This week, the administration froze $2 billion in funding to Harvard University after faculty leaders refused to adjust to calls for relating to modifications to admissions processes.
The tech government, who graduated from Princeton University, accused the federal government of leveraging training funding to “falsely attack science” at a crucial second within the world know-how race.
Schmidt additionally expressed concern about worldwide expertise selecting to keep away from the United States as a consequence of immigration uncertainties. “This madness will eventually end because it’s too stupid not to fix, but there’s damage occurring already, and I want everyone to understand it’s real damage,” he mentioned.
While some tech leaders like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI’s Sam Altman have maintained pleasant relations with the administration, Schmidt’s feedback replicate rising stress between elements of the tech group and Trump’s science policies.