Trump’s assault on knowledge: Department of Education closure follows attacks on science

US President Donald Trump’s announced shuttering of the Department of Education comes amid a broader attack on knowledge and research. Since Trump returned to the presidency in January, US science has suffered budget cuts, layoffs and censorship, with global implications. In a column published by French media on Thursday, 2,000 academics from the Stand Up for Science movement called for investment to help set up safe places for American researchers to continue their work. We take a closer look.