The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, made a big decision. They decided to end about $500 million in financial support for the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.). This money was very important for the university's research programs.
The university was surprised by this action. Without this funding, many important studies and projects were at risk. The school and its scientists were unsure what to do next.
Then, President Trump made a surprising offer. He said he would be willing to restore the funding. However, there was a condition. U.C.L.A. would have to pay the government a very large sum of money first.
The President's demand was for nearly one billion dollars. This was almost double the amount of the original funding that was cut. This proposal created a major challenge for the university's leaders.