Applications from US‑based academics for jobs outside the United States rose 21% in 2025, with the UK receiving a 24% increase, according to Times Higher Education’s Unijobs data. Commentators attribute the shift to political interference, cuts to federal research funding, and an increasingly hostile campus climate in some states. Nigel Healey and other higher‑education analysts described a 'Trump effect' motivating scholars to consider relocation; Hong Kong, Ireland and Australia also saw significant upticks. Universities abroad expect more competition for senior hires and postdocs as US scholars explore alternatives. The mobility trend could reshape research networks and long‑term talent pipelines if it continues, pressuring US institutions to address conditions that drive academic departures.