Sky News Australia reports a downturn in Australia-US relations stemming from the Trump administration's decision to cease funding for seven Australian universities. This action followed inquiries to researchers about Chinese funding and university stances on gender. Prime Minister Albanese is urged to convene an emergency meeting to assess the impact of this funding cut, potentially leaving a significant deficit for Australian research. The US administration cited its "America First" agenda, objecting to "DEI, woke gender ideology and the green new deal" as reasons for this funding pause, prioritising American taxpayer money for domestic priorities. Australian science and education bodies are calling for a strong government response to protect research interests, though the Australian government states it will continue to advocate for collaborative research. The US has indicated that its funding decisions will align with its own priorities.

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