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Snippets from the article about the interview. But the day before that budget was released, Bhattacharya sat down for an interview with this Science reporter. He was joined by NIH Chief of Staff Seana Cranston, a former Senate staffer who replaced John Burklow, a 4-decade NIH communications veteran. The encounter was brief, sometimes confrontational, and even personal. When I asked about low morale at NIH following two waves of firings, and about concerns at academic institutions about funding delays and grant cuts, Bhattacharya wanted to know whom I had talked to ... On a Nature news article reporting that NIH planned to suspend subawards for foreign collaborations: “No, that’s false. There’s going to be a policy on tracking subawards. The NIH and the government should be able to see where the money’s going.” “I’m really uncomfortable with this conversation, because you’re like, actually spreading rumors that you don’t know anything about. … Nature also is spreading rumors. Halt foreign collaborations, that’s not true.” “We’re working on the policy, Jocelyn. You shouldn’t be reporting rumors. I know there’s leaks all over here, but the leaks don’t actually reflect what’s happening. Don’t write about rumors. It actually makes the things that you and I care about worse. Like it spreads panic.” Later that day, NIH released a policy that halted future subawards to foreign scientists and said they will need to apply directly for money under a system still in development.