National Science Foundation suspends salary payments, leaving researchers unable to pay their bills NSF payment system remained offline despite the lifting of Trump administration funding freeze

https://www.statnews.com/2025/01/30/trump-funding-freeze-national-science-foundation-suspends-salary-payments/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZZKAFh7BA1KJHWSwkSUZfRr3c2RL7oiCPM6Ug6oZM8lbYSodqZVV4pk3_gDLy-YF9D2x2HGupKnZeSTYP2HtLi97tAg&_hsmi=345022952&utm_content=345022952&utm_source=hs_email NSF payment system offline Postdoctoral researchers who rely on grants from the National Science Foundation are beginning to report that President Trump’s federal funding freeze — announced, then blocked by a judge — nonetheless is having an impact, as the NSF’s online payment system remains down. An NSF email seen by STAT suggested salaries had been suspended to “ensure only eligible activities” are funded. “If the freeze is not stopped, I might lose my house,” said one biologist doing a postdoctoral fellowship in the Southeast, who spoke on condition that neither his name nor his state of residence be used, out of fear of retaliation. He said he had enough in his bank account to last until March, but had no idea how long the pay stoppage might last. That suggested that the agency would not be paying any of its grantees until it determined that their work did not conflict with President Trump’s executive orders, including those dismantling diversity initiatives and rolling back protections of transgender rights.