Group 1 - Multiple federal and research institutions in the U.S. have expressed concerns over significant cuts to research funding and the dismantling of federal research agencies under the Trump administration, which they believe undermines the nation's innovation capacity and public interest [1][2] - The proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026 includes a nearly 40% reduction in the budget for the National Institutes of Health and over 50% cut for the National Science Foundation, along with substantial cuts to NASA's science budget and the cancellation of several space exploration projects [2] - There is a prevailing atmosphere of fear among researchers, with many choosing to remain anonymous when signing protest letters due to concerns about retaliation, as evidenced by reports of employees at the Environmental Protection Agency facing job actions after signing dissent statements [2] Group 2 - The protests aim to compel the government to reconsider its policy direction, although experts express skepticism about the likelihood of any substantial change in the administration's approach [2]