The event had been anticipated for weeks. How would Europe respond to the various attacks faced by American scientists since the Trump administration took office in January? For 100 days, websites of government agencies and research projects have been censored across the Atlantic for containing banned words like "diversity," "women," and more. Thousands of people working for funding agencies have been laid off. Budgets have been cut or frozen, affecting projects in climate research, health, and more. Universities have received threats of cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in federal subsidies. Foreign students and staff have been expelled, and the initial drafts of future budgets foresee drastic cuts, including those of NASA.

To respond to this "unimaginable" situation, French President Emmanuel Macron launched the "Choose Europe for Science" initiative on May 5 in the main amphitheater of the Sorbonne, in the presence of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, three European commissioners, two ministers, and several representatives from French and European organizations and universities.

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