Whistleblowing, the War on Science, and the Impending Trump Administration: Methods of Assault and Defense in an Accelerating Conflict

Abstract

A “war on science” has been extensively described in academic literature and press reports, but the descriptions tend to be historical and journalistic narratives. Using examples drawn from available literature, we develop concise classification schemes to document methods of direct and indirect suppression of science in government and of methods of resistance and counter-attack. Recent anti-science policies in Canada and the U.S. and more recent reversals of these policies are compared to identify the role that political systems and political culture may play in implementing, encouraging, or impeding “war on science” policies and practices. The comparison allows speculation as to likely policies of the newly elected Trump administration in the U.S. based on Trump’s position statements and presidential appointments. Future pathways in the development of scientific resistance are also speculatively described.