Even in this starkly divided country, Americans can agree on one thing: They want the U.S. to be a global leader in the sciences. But while Democrats fear the country’s position at the scientific fore is slipping, Republicans remain largely unworried.
That finding comes from a new annual survey by the Pew Research Center, which is used as a bellwether for the public’s opinion on science. Its 2025 results, published Thursday, highlight a partisan split on many key issues, including the country’s standing globally and the role of colleges and universities in propelling research forward. The survey did not explicitly ask about President Trump, but responses to several questions may also indicate that the administration’s message downplaying the role of universities in research is being heeded by the broader public.
