President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a presidential memorandum that seeks to secure U.S. government-supported research and development (R&D) against interference and exploitation by foreign powers. Trump’s action seeks to enhance protections for United States R&D efforts, given their open and collaborative nature, and in light of their importance to national security and in keeping the country economically competitive, the White House Press Secretary said in a statement. The memorandum “ensures that Government-supported research can occur in an open environment and foster new discoveries for the benefit of our Nation while also protecting intellectual capital, discouraging research misappropriation, and ensuring the responsible management of United States taxpayer dollars.” The presidential memo reinforces the Trump administration’s efforts to maintain American leadership in the field of science and technology. “America must remain the world’s leader in S&T [science and technology] during this era of great power competition, and today’s signing builds on the long …