With their assault on science, Trumpists aren’t just harming America – they’re harming themselves | Jan-Werner Müller
The administration is subjugating science to political imperatives, a major blow to US soft power and technological progress The Trump administration is waging an unprecedented war on institutions devoted to research and higher learning. While plenty of countries have harmed universities by imposing neoliberal logics on academia – creating artificial markets in the name of spurring professors to…
The Trump administration's war on science is not only damaging America, but also weakening the nation's own foundations. The administration's subjugation of scientific research to political agendas is a stark contrast to the democratic values it claims to uphold. This unprecedented assault on scientific institutions is reminiscent of the Soviet Union's suppression of research, not a modern democratic regime.
The administration's rule change, spearheaded by Project 2025's director Russell Vought, threatens to undermine the very fabric of scientific inquiry. Any federal grant, including those for science, could now be subject to review by political appointees. This would effectively allow the administration to dictate the direction of scientific research, rather than relying on the expertise of seasoned scientists.
Moreover, the administration is targeting foreign students and international collaborations, further exacerbating the damage to the country's global standing and technological progress. This not only harms America, but also the global scientific community.
The question remains: why are Trumpists engaging in such self-inflicted harm? The answer may lie in their misguided belief that aligning with the president's priorities is more important than upholding the integrity of scientific research. This is a dangerous path that not only harms the nation, but also the very institutions that are meant to serve it.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
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