The first six months of President Trump’s second term have been characterized by destruction of democratic processes, divisive and vindictive actions, and chaos in federal government agencies.
Since the Inauguration, the administration has systematically destroyed federal scientific systems. The Trump administration’s actions are not normal. This is an illegal power grab—a wholesale attack on the democratic systems upon which this nation was built.
Between January 20 and June 30 of this year, we documented 402 attacks on science. We define “attacks on science” as actions, statements, or decisions that originate from an elected official or political appointee in a federal agency that results in the censoring, manipulation, forging, or misinforming on scientific data, results, or conclusions conducted within the government or with federal funds.
When science is sidelined, people are harmed. In this report, we document the ways this administration has targeted the public science that we all depend on, and offer recommendations and resources to counter these attacks and hold the administration accountable.
Download the full report or read it online.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is a national nonprofit organization founded more than 50 years ago by scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Our mission: The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.
Today, we are a group of nearly 250 scientists, analysts, policy experts, organizers, and communicators dedicated to that purpose.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is a national nonprofit organization founded more than 50 years ago by scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Our mission: The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science into action, developing solutions and advocating for a healthy, safe, and just future.
Today, we are a group of nearly 250 scientists, analysts, policy experts, organizers, and communicators dedicated to that purpose.
Authors: Darya Minovi, Kristie Ellickson , Jules Barbati-Dajches, Rachel Cleetus. Science and Democracy Under Siege: Documenting Six Months of the Trump Administration’s Destructive Actions. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/resources/science-and-democracy-under-siege
