The 2024 presidential election marks the historic return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office. With this news, scientists and policy experts alike find themselves contemplating the implications his second term will have for the future of science.
At a time when the challenges facing society and the world at large are increasingly complex, from the current changes in the global economy to the effects of resurgent ethnonationalism at home and abroad, the fragility of democratic political institutions to the rampant role of misinformation and polarized news, the direction and role of science are perhaps more important than ever before.
Scientific funding, science and tech policy, and public communication are certain to be scrutinized and questioned. For science to continue thriving and addressing these urgent challenges, we must remain steadfast and clear in our commitment to advocating for science in the service of the public good. Achieving this under a polarizing second Trump administration is likely to present unique challenges.
Throughout his first term, Trump’s stance on scientific matters raised questions about the politicization of science, particularly concerning climate change, public health and the role of regulatory agencies. Science does not operate in a vacuum — it is a crucial component of informed policy and public decision-making. Scientists must therefore work to ensure that the values of objectivity, transparency and integrity remain central to science, and that expertise remains relevant to our national discourse.
One of the pressing challenges ahead will be advocating for the protection of agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Over the past several decades, these institutions have played essential........