Podcast Summary: What A Day (Crooked Media)

Episode: What It’s Like To Have Trump Hold Your Science Research Hostage
Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston
Guests:

• Dr. Aradhna Tripathi, Professor of Climate Science & Geochemistry, UCLA
• Monique Trinh, Program Manager, Pathology & Lab Medicine, UCLA

Episode Overview

This episode explores the continuing tension between the Trump administration and American universities, focusing specifically on the massive federal research funding cuts imposed on UCLA, and the partial restoration ordered by a federal judge following a lawsuit. Jane Coaston interviews UCLA researchers whose essential work on climate, health, and community-based research has been devastated by political decision-making. The conversation exposes both the scientific and human consequences of federal science policy being used as a political weapon, and raises broader questions about public good, social mobility, and institutional defense in an ongoing hostile political environment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background: Trump Administration’s Funding Cuts at UCLA

• UCLA targeted: The Trump administration demanded UCLA pay $1 billion to resolve alleged civil rights violations around antisemitism (00:52).
• Research funding halted: Over half a billion dollars in research funding from NIH, NSF, Department of Energy, and others was cut—creating widespread disruption in scientific research.
• Judge’s intervention: On Friday, a federal judge ruled the administration must restore some of the frozen funds, but only a portion—hundreds of millions in grants remain suspended (01:54).

2. Firsthand Impact on Research & People

• Scale of impact: Dr. Tripathi details that just four grants under her management represent $10 million in funding and support for 250 people: undergraduates, grad students, veterans, faculty, and community members (03:39).
  • Quote (Dr. Tripathi, 03:39):
    "That's about $10 million worth of federal funding that's supporting about 250 people... It literally is disrupting 250 people's lives. That's just four grants. There’s more than 800 grants impacted."
• Medical & personal costs:
  • Monique Trinh discusses seeing the effects in academic medicine, highlighting a story about her mother receiving research-driven care at UCLA until her death, then joining clinical trials to help others (04:31).
  • Cuts don’t just slow innovation—they "deeply create waste," forcing skilled people into bureaucratic limbo rather than productive work.
  • Quote (Monique Trinh, 05:44):
    "These cuts don't just slow innovation, they deeply create waste...precious time and resources are spent on whiplash and paperwork rather than advancing research, improving care, or addressing the needs of patients and communities."

3. What Science is at Risk?

• Diverse affected projects:
  • Climate resilience, water quality and access, training veterans for STEM careers, supporting women of color faculty, and critical health research—such as drug discovery and vaccine work (06:12).
  • Quote (Dr. Tripathi, 06:13):
    "Grants...include clinical trials, drug discovery, vaccine development, maternal disparities that exist."

4. Political Weaponization and Work Disruption

• Research as a ‘political football’:

  • The constant disruption, uncertainty, and “yo-yo” effect of funding is itself a strategy to destabilize public research and those who rely on it.
  • Quote (Dr. Tripathi, 08:11):
    "The chaos, the distraction is the point. We are not meant to be able to focus on doing the work that is for the public good...This is like a tried and true playbook style practice for how you dismantle institutions."

• Inability to ‘turn research on and off’:

  • “You can’t turn research on and off. You can't turn education and training on and off.” (Dr. Tripathi, 09:08)

5. Defending Public Universities & Long-term Strategy

• Solidarity as resistance:
  • UCLA must stand together, not just as individuals or separate projects. Broader impacts of budget slashing go far beyond UCLA: public health systems, K-12 education, community colleges, and even prison budgets are all at stake (09:42).
  • Quote (Dr. Tripathi, 09:45):
    "This is a time for solidarity. So it is not about my work or your work. It is about our work...When we stand up for UCLA and the UC system and the public good we represent, we will continue to stand together in the face of this administration for the next three and a half years."
• Public education as social mobility:
  • Trinh stresses the university’s mission to protect the least resourced, as well as enhance social mobility through public education and a healthcare system that puts the community good first (10:30).
  • Quote (Monique Trinh, 10:30):
    "As a first-generation professional and student myself...as a health system, our goal is to take a collaborative approach...protecting those that are the least resourced and those are going to be the ones that are harmed first and hardest when these budget cuts happen."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------------|-------| | 03:39 | Dr. Tripathi | "That's about $10 million worth of federal funding that's supporting about 250 people... It literally is disrupting 250 people's lives. That's just four grants." | | 05:44 | Monique Trinh | "These cuts don't just slow innovation, they deeply create waste...precious time and resources are spent on whiplash and paperwork rather than advancing research, improving care, or addressing the needs of patients and communities." | | 08:11 | Dr. Tripathi | "The chaos, the distraction is the point...This is like a tried and true playbook style practice for how you dismantle institutions." | | 09:08 | Dr. Tripathi | "You can’t turn research on and off. You can't turn education and training on and off." | | 09:45 | Dr. Tripathi | "This is a time for solidarity. So it is not about my work or your work. It is about our work..." | | 10:30 | Monique Trinh | "...our goal is to take a collaborative approach and being recognized as a foundation for building the preeminent data driven learning healthcare system that improves the human condition...protecting those that are the least resourced and those are going to be the ones that are harmed first and hardest when these budget cuts happen." |

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [00:52] – Overview of Trump administration’s $1 billion demand and major research funding freezes at UCLA.
• [01:54] – Summary of judge’s partial restoration of grants.
• [03:11 – 04:31] – Guests discuss their own funding losses and the broad workforce impact.
• [05:44] – Trinh’s personal story about her mother, and the cascading effect of funding freezes on the medical school community.
• [06:12 – 07:50] – Specific affected research: climate, veterans, water, women of color in science, clinical trials.
• [08:11] – Dr. Tripathi explains how the chaos of funding is intentional political strategy.
• [09:42 – 11:25] – The need for collective defense of public institutions and social good.

Tone & Language

The episode is smart, urgent, and emotionally resonant—plainspoken but unflinching in describing political chaos and the human cost. Dr. Tripathi’s tone is analytical and direct; Monique Trinh’s stories richly ground policy debates in lived experience. Jane Coaston’s questions are empathetic yet unsparing as she tries to make the stakes clear for the listening public.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The Trump administration’s battle with universities is not only ideological, but directly impacts real research and real people—students, scientists, patients, and families.
• Funding whiplash is itself a strategy to destabilize the pursuit of the public good.
• This struggle is not just about UCLA—it’s about the future of public research, equitable health care, and social mobility.
• The resolve of impacted researchers and staff is clear: only solidarity and collective advocacy can protect these vital public institutions in the years to come.

This summary is intended for listeners who want a deep and faithful recap of this What A Day episode, highlighting both the technical and human stakes of federal capture of America’s science infrastructure.