Trump administration reportedly cancels research into very parasite making Americans sick right now

It’s a deadly virus which causes explosive diarrhoea, has killed two Americans, and has resulted in more than 27,000 confirmed and probable cases across the country since May 1, but US president Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly shelved two research projects investigating cyclospora.

Politico reports that two of the three US Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects working on the parasite were “defunded by Congress earlier this year”, while the remaining one – although still funded – is facing issues around a relocation from Maryland to Iowa as part of “a sweeping USDA reorganization”.

The two defunded projects were once based at the USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland.

Cyclospora made headlines after a recall announcement was made about Taylor Fresh Foods’ iceberg lettuce in July, over fears that it “has the potential to be contaminated with cyclospora”.

And given the outbreak very much continues, news of the Trump administration reportedly cutting back funding has been met with fierce criticism.

Author Joyce Carol Oates tweeted: “More important to rename Lake Ontario & reduce bicycle lanes than to research the food-borne parasite cyclospora. US in 2026”:

“This is what happens when we have a mugshot president,” wrote commentator James Tate:

Journalist Karly Kingsley said: “The Trump admin is stopping vital federal Cyclospora research despite a record breaking, nationwide outbreak. He’s deploying the “if you don’t test or talk about it, it doesn’t exist” method again. I don’t know how we’re going to survive two+ more years of this”:

And Connecticut representative Rosa DeLauro commented: “Americans don’t trust the safety of our food supply and this action is the opposite of the direction we should be going”:

In a statement to Politico, a USDA spokesperson insisted “none of the research has been disrupted” and that “research will continue without disruption”.

“Congress did not appropriate funding for the two BARC research projects referenced in the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act,” they said.

Why not read…?

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