Trump administration proposes new rules that would increase political control over CDC science and federal research grants

Jun 24, 2026

The federal Office of Management and Budget has proposed rule changes that would insert a political review into the scientific grant awarding process, allowing officials to prioritize administration goals over scientific merit. Concurrently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has proposed a new science office to review publications like the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report under political oversight, drawing criticism from scientific leaders who warn of increased political control.

OMB proposed grant review rules

▪The proposed Office of Management and Budget rules regarding federal financial assistance are in a public comment period as of June 24, 2026.
▪The federal Office of Management and Budget proposed rule changes on May 29, 2026, to alter how scientific grants are awarded by U.S. government agencies.

Political control over scientific merit

▪A proposed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention office, the Executive Advisory, Science, and Operations Unit, would review scientific publications and report to chief of staff Matthew Buzzelli.
▪The proposed Office of Management and Budget rules would allow administration officials to determine if grant proposals align with administration priorities, regardless of scientific merit.

Peer review process changes

▪Under the current federal process, scientific grant proposals are vetted and scored by a committee of experts in that scientific field, with top-scoring proposals recommended for funding.
▪The proposed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention science office would review scientific publications, including the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, intended for peer-reviewed journals.

Impact on American science

▪The proposed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention science office remains in limbo as of June 25, 2026, because no available funding has been identified.
▪Holden Thorp, the editor in chief of the Science family of journals, characterized the proposed Office of Management and Budget rule changes as "another red alert for American science."