Crikey! Trump Cuts Funding to Seven Australian Universities

I was today years old when I learned that the United States funds colleges in OTHER countries. And I’m sure like many others, my response was, “Excuse me, why?”

In a time when our country’s own finances are insanely out of whack, knowing that some posh university across the world is getting my tax dollars is infuriating. But in a satisfying turn of events, there are seven fewer colleges taking our money today.

Sky News reports:

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced calls to respond after the Trump administration cut funding to seven Australian universities.

The administration’s move came after US agencies asked Australian researchers to justify why they should continue receiving American research grants.

The surveys they received asked several questions including whether the researchers had received funding from China, and if their university had recognised only two sexes – male and female.

The institutions which have had their funding cut are the Australian National University, Monash University, University of Technology Sydney, University of NSW, Charles Darwin University, Macquarie University and UNSW.

*Americans right now*

The article continues:

Last week after it was revealed the universities had been asked to justify their funding, the National Tertiary Education Union called on the government to “guarantee Australian researchers would be protected”.

I’m sorry, protected from what? A lack of free money?

And the whining continues:

“The federal government must push back on the Trump administration’s blatant foreign interference in our independent research in the strongest possible terms,” NTEU president Alison Barnes said.

“Blatant foreign interference” is code for “I didn’t get my allowance like I wanted.”

It isn’t like Australia is a struggling country, for Pete’s sake. If they want our dollarydoos for research, they better be looking into something useful, like how to send kangaroos to Mars (feat. Elon?).

For years it has felt like the rest of the world looks to the U.S. for free handouts. Seeing the sense of entitlement when we decide to stop bankrolling other countries is eye-opening. We’ve created a bunch of spoiled brats—and I’m sick of them.