National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Warn of Trump Administration’s Attacks on Science
The Trump administration’s attacks on science have sparked a warning from over 1,900 members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The open letter highlights the dangers posed by the administration’s assault on US scientific institutions, including threats to private universities, federal grant cancelations, and mass government layoffs.
The letter emphasizes the importance of protecting independent scientific inquiry and raises concerns about the decimation of the nation’s scientific enterprise. The administration’s funding cuts and censorship efforts are seen as hindering research and stifling the quest for truth in scientific exploration.
Notable figures like health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr have announced plans to cut thousands of jobs from the Department of Health and Human Services, raising fears of privatization and further disruptions to scientific agencies like the CDC and FDA. The resignation of top vaccine expert Dr. Peter Marks over the administration’s assault on scientific truth underscores the severity of the situation.
Environmental sciences have also been targeted, with proposed cuts to agencies like the EPA and Noaa threatening the nation’s ability to forecast hurricanes and conduct vital research. The call to action from Dr. Robert Steinbrook of Public Citizen urges scientific and medical organizations to speak out in defense of science and public health in the face of ongoing catastrophe.
The letter serves as a wake-up call for the scientific community to stand up against the administration’s attacks on science and ensure the preservation of independent research and inquiry.