​The Trump administration recently released a memorandum outlining overarching federal R&D priorities to all agency and department heads. Memos such as this are a tradition followed by previous administrations, which released similar documents around this time of year. However, unlike previous administrations, this document serves as the first full synopsis of the administration’s science policy framework, showcasing what researchers can expect over the upcoming years.

The memo focuses on five broad themes that agencies should prioritize: American military superiority, American security, American prosperity, American energy dominance, and American health. While the document expounds on specific research interests in each of these areas, it also makes clears that agencies should focus on “budget neutral” investments, and repeatedly emphasizes the importance of focusing on basic science and rolling back later-stage R&D and commercialization efforts. In a separate section, the administration expresses its support for “maintaining and modernizing research infrastructure,” while pushing for increased utilization of existing facilities and other devices through innovative partnerships with industry and academia.

The guidance is notable not just for what it includes, but what it does not include, showing a pivot from previous administrations’ efforts. Climate change and environmental issues, primary focuses of the Obama administration, are not mentioned. Nor are previously supported advanced manufacturing programs mentioned, consistent with the Trump budget that targeted these programs for cuts or elimination. In a surprising omission, the document does not mention space policy, despite space exploration being a defining feature of past Trump science policy efforts. The full memo can be found here (PDF).