White House Report Envisions Trump Era as Science Golden Age

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report on Tuesday titled "Science: A New Golden Age." This document outlines the OSTP's perspective on the state of science, identifying perceived shortcomings and positing that the Trump administration is ideally situated to implement improvements. The report's release is notable given the administration's proposed funding cuts to research and efforts to allow political appointees to revoke grants based on scientific merit.

The report positions itself as a successor to "Science, the Endless Frontier," a foundational policy document from the post-World War II era that advocated for government-funded science. While acknowledging the enduring relevance of the original document's principles, "Science: A New Golden Age" argues that current circumstances necessitate significant revisions to the government's scientific implementation strategies. This approach results in a document that selectively omits or downplays actions by the administration that could hinder scientific progress.

In some instances, the report addresses issues that have already been recognized as challenges within the scientific community. In other areas, it blends political grievances with underdeveloped ideas and incorporates perspectives from the technology sector, influenced by figures like Michael Kratsios, the OSTP director who previously worked with Peter Thiel. Consequently, the report is unlikely to achieve the same level of impact as its historical predecessor, "Science, the Endless Frontier."