In response to the Trump administration’s funding cuts that target academic research, CAUT's president Peter McInnis called for the federal government to backfill lost research funds. The move is presented as a stand against policies seen as part of an authoritarian 'war on science', aiming to secure academic independence and protect research endeavors.

On March 31, 2025, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) expressed alarm over the Conservative Party of Canada's pledge to interfere with federal research funding. CAUT described the move as an attack on academic freedom and basic human rights, drawing parallels with American-style political interference observed during the Trump administration, and warning that such policies undermine the integrity of academic research and equity initiatives.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) warned that the Trump administration is undermining the independence of Canadian academic research by sending intrusive questionnaires to researchers funded by US agencies. CAUT's executive director emphasized the need to push back against political interference and called on the Canadian government to support academic freedom.

On March 18, 2025, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) issued a strong warning against the Trump administration's imposition of a questionnaire on Canadian researchers, which seeks to exclude key elements such as environmental justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion from research funded by American agencies. CAUT's executive director, David Robinson, decried this attempt to politicize research and urged the Canadian government to safeguard academic freedom and research integrity.

On March 17, 2025, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) publicly warned that the Trump administration is interfering in Canadian academic research by mandating that projects receiving U.S. federal funding avoid topics related to climate change, environmental justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender ideology. CAUT’s executive director, David Robinson, called for the Canadian government to safeguard academic independence and protect researchers from political interference.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is urging Alberta to amend or repeal a proposed gatekeeping bill that would allow the province to veto federal agreements with post-secondary institutions. CAUT argues that this political intervention threatens academic freedom and could compromise research integrity, with executive director David Robinson indicating that the organization may pursue legal action if the bill is passed.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers challenged Canadian universities to cut all ties with on-campus Confucius Institutes, arguing that these cultural schools, funded and operated by the Chinese government, pose a threat to academic freedom and are closely aligned with authoritarian politics.