Science and Technology No Longer Have a Place of Prominence in the White House

May 31, 2017 – President Donald Trump has yet to appoint a senior level scientist to advise him within the White House. Considering his choices for science-sensitive cabinet positions, this comes as no surprise.

The presidency has a Council of Advisors on Science and Technology but this president either cannot or chosen not to find academics and experts to join it. Typically, those appointed to the Council advise the president on all scientific and technology subjects from artificial intelligence to cyber security, from nuclear physics to quantum mechanics, and from weather to climate change.

But Trump has no interest in the council of scientists. Nor has he appointed a new director for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Has this happened in any previous administration?

No.

Should it be a surprise then if Trump goes ahead and takes the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement?

No.

Scientists are persona non grata at the current White House. And after getting a dose of European and Canadian views about the climate change agreement, one can imagine the very mention of the word “evidence” will bring the wrath of Trump down upon anyone in his administration should they express it.

The lack of scientific council has implications for national security. In the past, the National Security Council (NSC) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy were joined at the hip. The NSC consulted with the scientists and technologists in the Office of Science and Technology Policy on a wide range of subjects from artificial intelligence to advanced computing platforms, from cyberattacks to bioweapon threats, from nuclear energy to nuclear warheads, and from genomics to pandemics.

But it is in the area of climate change where Trump has needed scientists and he has deliberately chosen to ignore them. Instead, he has made political appointments that include climate change skeptics and those in bed with the fossil fuel industry.

That should tell you everything you need to know about Trump’s anticipated announcement about America’s continued support of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The lack of scientists means this federal administration is walking blind into the future and taking the country with it.