Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless said Ireland would be a good home for the "best and brightest minds" who are considering relocating from the US.
"What better home for them than Ireland" he said, on his plan to invite US scholars to work in Ireland.
The 'Global Talent Initiative' will be brought by the Minister to Cabinet, aimed at attracting top research talent.
Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime programme, Minister Lawless described the "uncertainty" in the US university sector around research and with federal programmes having their funding cut.
"We have, I suppose, a chilling effect on campuses in terms of academic integrity and in terms of free speech and freedom of research, and we're seeing a number of programmes winding up," he said.
"We have always prided ourselves on our knowledge economy, we have excellent higher education institutions and I'm putting in place a tailored programme to welcome people on the move."
Minister Lawless said that this invitation will particularly apply to leaders in their fields with established practices, and "rising stars" who are about to make a breakthrough but may be stymied because of the Trump administration.
He said that he has already received a number of "soft enquiries" from people expressing an interest in the initiative.
"I’m formalising that with a support package and saying that if people want to relocate to Ireland, they can partner with a university here, they will join a team or bring a team, typically in an area of strategic interest to Ireland and to our system."
It is reported that "talent attachés" will be deployed to find experts abroad in four priority areas: renewable energy; medical technology and life sciences; cyber threats and flooding; and food security.
Minister Lawless committed €9 million per annum over the next five years to the programme, adding that many of the individuals being targeted by the programme will bring funding with them.
"The kind of individuals being targeted are those kind of outstanding stars who have the capacity to attract industry funding, private sector funding and the funding that I'm providing I expect will be matched by the universities."
'Great opportunity for Ireland', says minister
Minister Lawless has said "the flipside" of a possible brain drain from the US is "a great opportunity for Ireland".
Mr Lawless plans to create competitive packages to entice researchers to Ireland that combine research funding and start-up support.
The hope is that this will increase the number of high-impact projects, generate new knowledge and patents, and create a world-class training base.
Speaking on his way into the Cabinet meeting, Mr Lawless outlined plans to attract people with certain skillsets to move here.
He said part of building an economy is focusing on research and talent as he outlined plans to incentivise talented researchers, academics and innovators "to make Ireland their base".
He is seeking Government approval for a package that will attract skilled people from abroad.
"There are many areas that we can benefit from world class knowledge," he said.
Yesterday, Mr Lawless told an Irish Universities Association (IUA) seminar that Ireland could benefit by offering a stable, open environment where world-class researchers can thrive, just as the US had done after World War II.
Mr Lawless told the IUA seminar that with US faculties now having pledged funding revoked and institutes facing shutdown this had "undoubtedly" changed how people view the US when it comes to research.
"It has become a cold place for free thinkers and talented researchers," the minister said.
The US Department of Education announced in March that it had opened an investigation into 60 colleges and universities for alleged "anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination".
