A largish minority of the scientists and researchers I know are looking to leave the US now. Trying to attract these people sounds like a really smart move to me.
Yeah, it's weird to me that we don't see more of statements like that.
I'm slightly in two minds about the evacuation though. On the one hand, I think this is category of people who are pretty high priority for considerably worse persecution than malicious defunding and shakedowns by semi-official thugs, and they should consider their own well-being and hopefully being able to keep contributing to science.
On the other hand, it's definitely also a category of people who would be needed if there's to be any hope of recovery.
There are more European academics in the US than American academics in Europe. Mostly because it has been easier to get an academic position and research funding in the US. As long as European countries are not making major permanent increases to university/research funding, they are not serious about attracting academic talent from the US.
