War on Science: Winners and Losers (SHANNONDELL Valley Forge)

Science and scientists are highly valued by most Americans for contributing to the quality of life. In the United States, data from the Pew Research Center and other polling organizations show that 77% of U.S. adults have either a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interest. But a growing minority with right-wing and right-leaning political orientation have turned against science. Opposition to science has increased dramatically under Donald Trump, who has reduced the size and withdrawn funding of many government science-based agencies, apparently without regard for the benefits they provided. In this discussion, we will explore who are the winners and losers in this war on science, how and why science is under attack, the extent of damage already done, and the outlook for the future of science. This war has at least two fronts: those who attack science politically from the right, and those who attack from within the scientific academic community.

For background on how science is under attack by the government and how much damage is being done, read “The Cost of the Trump Administration’s Attacks on Research Funding” by the Brennan Center for Justice (May 14, 2026) at https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/cost-trump-administrations-attacks-research-funding.

For a look at the numbers, see “MAGA Is Winning Its War Against U.S. Science” (Apr 07, 2026) by Nobel-winning economist Paul Krugman at https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/maga-is-winning-its-war-against-us.

For some insider perspectives on how scientists and universities are attacking science from within, read the article, “America's Two-Front War on Science,” by astrophysicist Lawrence Krauss at https://reason.com/2025/08/14/americas-two-front-war-on-science/. Krauss edited a book last year, The War on Science, which he discusses in a video interview at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6zaZ6TrTT4 (runs 47 minutes). The interview explores how ideological issues threaten science; “how ‘woke’ ideology, DEI policies, and campus cancel culture are eroding the foundations of open inquiry.”