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Read what UCS experts expect from the second Trump administration on climate and energy, food and agriculture, global security, transportation, and engaging with states.
If history is telling, the impending Trump presidency is likely to be a dangerous time for science, scientists and democracy. The last Trump presidency saw 207 attacks on science, including censorship, falsified records, political interference, and intimidation of scientists.
All of us depend on the ability to get reliable, transparent, and clear scientific information from the federal government. From food and drug safety inspection to weather monitoring to infectious disease research, federal science is vital to our lives. And we know from the past, when science is sidelined, people get hurt.
The attacks on science are likely to continue in the upcoming Trump administration. The president elect has promised an all-out war on science, promising to fire government scientists and dismantle science agencies. He and his anti-science crusaders are already working to intimidate scientists and sideline science because they do the work that stands in the way of self-serving officials and corporate polluters who put power and profits over people.
Additionally, President-elect Trump is a mis- and dis-information superspreader, consistently avoiding facts that are inconvenient to him or his allies and spreading politically advantageous falsehoods, which increases confusion and distrust of federal agencies.
We are headed into a perilous time. But that just means it is more important than ever to do what we can to protect science, scientists, and democracy.
Scientists mobilizing
First, UCS is immediately mobilizing the 17,000 scientists in our network and our partners to fight attacks on federal science and scientists.
We’ll continue to push for the Scientific Integrity Act—common sense, bipartisan legislation that will allow scientists to do their work without political interference.
The act would help ensure that policymaking is based on the findings of scientific research free of political interference by requiring federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to establish and maintain clear and enforceable scientific integrity policies. We’ll also work alongside community partners to ensure they have a voice in the policymaking process and can challenge efforts to roll back vital science-based public protections.
At the same time, we will forge ahead with our crucial work to make sure all voices are heard at the ballot box by making elections fairer and more inclusive. This election was marked by attacks on the right to vote—restrictive laws, purges, and deliberate efforts to sow confusion. These challenges aren’t going away, but we can fight back.
We will continue to work to make voting equitable, pushing for science-based best practices that make sure everyone can participate and have their vote counted. Fortunately, this fight is taking place largely at the state level, where we can continue to push for positive change despite a federal administration that has proven hostile toward voting rights.
President-elect Trump’s win does not mean our work is over—far from it. We are turning the page to a new chapter, and we’re ready for the challenging times ahead.
