Science and Trump's "unified Reich"

[RedshiftDrift]

Dear ACG members,
I would not usually support the expression of political opinions on this forum, but these are exceptional times.

Eric already covers a lot in his video, this is a good way to introduce the topic.
https://youtu.be/zrMbAAH4yMQ (9 minutes)

Another example with direct consequences for astronomy and cosmology is discussed here:
"The Webb Telescope is making incredible discoveries: It may go dark"
https://phys.org/news/2025-04-webb-telescope-incredible-discoveries-dark.html
But the disastrous effects of the new US political regime are not limited to science, they extend to all parts of society.

Despite high opposition levels to the Trump administration by American citizens, 41% of Canadians voted conservative in yesterday's election. As a Canadian, it is very disappointing to see so much support for "Maple MAGA".

I encourage all opposition to the "Trump regime", but peaceful protests and legal action won't be enough to stop him. In my limited capacity as a historian, I think about the "German resistance to Nazism" which started a somewhat disorganized opposition and disobedience to the Nazi regime as early as 1933.
That did not stop Hitler. Other totalitarian regimes have similar histories.

Only very few people visit this forum, so this message does not contribute much more than a drop adds to the ocean. But it reaches those who are already courageous enough to defend science by opposing mainstream cosmology.

Now the stakes are higher, and we must respond accordingly.

Regards,
Louis

[LifeIsStrange]

I'm afraid the people that comes here are too educated to be the target audience, MAGA sect members.
While it is not at all an hyperbole to understand that Trump is doing among other dystopian things, a direct war on science, including the proposed massive NASA halving, IMO JWST is a bad example.
Firstly it is historically the pinnacle of delays, and cost overrun that are in my opinion, blatant fraud that misdirected NASA funding and most importantly posthumously, made NASA executives afraid of launching large telescopes in space, for fallacious reasons.
IIRC I linked previously an article from nature ? about it being a funding black hole but can't find it back.
Though this is one of the many major resource mismanagements at NASA, the others being class-probe seggregation that encourage fraud, and the far far excessive funding for heliophysics and solar system probes over cosmology which is order of magnitudes more important.

Thirdly, JWST cost nothing to not got "dark", NASA has lost the ability to do online repair/upgrades since the downfall of the space shuttle (though might do a xuntian), and we have countless space telescopes that operates since the 90s with near zero funding (e.g. ibex)

fourthly and most importantly, JWST WILL go dark in 2 years because of the horrible decision of putting it in a lagrangian combined with the second horrible decision of killing its orbit voluntarilly instead of letting it drift in the lagrangian, which is likely perfectly viable. Had it it been in LEO it could have operated for 50 years which likely transcend the minor noise reduction for LEO.
I don't think people understand that this will means the end of early universe cosmology science basically, saying it is an avoidable tragedy is an euphemism.

The real question are how are the JWST and Hubble funds allocated currently? if they fund a significant part of cosmological scientists then they are extremely important though I have my doubts about funding distribution.

Trump anti science obscurantism will lead literally, to obscuration of our ability to perceive light.
Cutting funding has far more consequences than unclear funding allocated at a telescope already in space,

1. NASA does essential funding/facility for balloon telescopes that basically reach space, which is one of the most important driver of progress in modern cosmology
2. They have countless heliophysics telescopes in the pipeline, including the IMAP this year

But the thing is NASA is so inefficient they have zero cosmological telescope planned until 2027, which should be roman unless it is not yet again delayed, and roman despite being the most important kind of modern telescope (ultrawide field) is 1) not even an UVOIR... 2) has a small mirror for inept reason 3) is completely obscoleted and redundant by Xuntian than comes 1 year before.
Hence the only relevant NASA telescope is the Gamma ray telescope COSI in 2027, which is very interesting for galactic center dark matter detection, but is otherwise fairly niche.
Then nothing until 2030! for the UVEX which is already obscoleted by Xuntian, as said in 2026.
In many ways, one could say NASA has already self decided to cease to exist, its future telescopes or lack thereof are largely inconsequential to the future of cosmology, which is nearly 100% driven by Chinese and European telescopes.
The proper JWST successors are probably only for 2040+ (despite literally the technology being mature and even trivial for non segmented mirrors...) except for a chinese competitor.
The only exciting contribution from NASA is SPHEREx but it has already launched so funding is no longer relevant.
As for the new probe class mission, they could have delivered breakthroughs with PRIMA but the jury selected AXIS instead, which is largely obscoleted by eXTP, IMO the decision makers should be jailed/fired.
As for future SMEX like polstar, I'm not sure but they are most probably post 2030

The most exciting unique future telescope is from NASA, athena though it won't launch before 2037

As for what's currently happening, the democrats will probably get the house back in 2026 so Trump effects might be partially mitigated/short lived but indeed this is worrysome for the future of mankind as we are dehumanizing ourselves fast.

[LifeIsStrange]

see also https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1kandgx/joint_subreddit_statement_the_attack_on_us/

[budrap00]

Thanks Louis,

It is an important point you make that this moment transcends individual issues such as science funding. What is happening in my country (USA) is nothing less than a direct and deliberate attempt to dismantle constitutional democracy in the land of its origin. The fact that Trump's poll numbers are at historic lows suggests that a lot of people who voted for Trump were not voting for that.

In that regard it is interesting to consider that the populists of the far right and far left have one very strong position in common - they do not wish to be governed by what Franklin Roosevelt called "malefactors of great wealth". Trump and Musk are poster boys for that crowd and they have provoked enemies from left, right, and center. But for it to matter, democracy in the form of free and fair elections, must survive until the midterm elections of 2026. We'll see.

In the meantime, I'll be joining Eric and I suspect millions of others on May Day to raise my voice in protest of the ongoing madness and most importantly in defense of democracy.

Good luck to us all,
Bud

[LifeIsStrange]

The fact that Trump's poll numbers are at historic lows suggests that a lot of people who voted for Trump were not voting for that.

Come on he has ~48% approval rating americans have barely changed their approbation after the countless insane and illegal things he has done in the last 100 days

[budrap00]

@LifeIsStrange A little fact checking - and this is from a conservative leaning paper:
https://nypost.com/2025/04/27/us-news/trump-battered-by-polls-that-show-his-approval-rating-sinking/

[RedshiftDrift]

Approval ratings are only relevant if the scheduled elections in 2026 actually happen and if the outcome is respected.
So far, Trump has not been respecting any democratic process, so approval ratings don't say much.

I'm afraid the people that comes here are too educated to be the target audience, MAGA sect members. - @LifeIsStrange

I wouldn't be surprised if many readers of this forum support Republican, 🇨🇦Conservative, or some right wing party in their country... (I already could name some ACG members who do.) Educated or not, people embrace many contradicting ideas... and voting is a very emotional issue.

$\ $
For what it's worth, I'll also be joining Eric and @budrap00 on May Day, on the 🇨🇦 side of the border.

[Francois-Zinserling]

You have my support from $ZA$ on the other side of the world.

[LifeIsStrange]

Update:
Aim at a reduction of NASA budget by 24%
Unclear to me how space telescopes are affected
https://www.reddit.com/r/MarsSociety/s/9hIP0CHsN6
Google says

The majority of astronomical research in the United States is funded directly from the astronomy budgets of the NSF and the Office of Space Science (OSS) at NASA

Source? What percent
Concomitantly, since today? The NSF is dead/frozen
https://www.reddit.com/r/nottheonion/s/aeOMPvGzpJ
Which is apocalyptic

[OlliSant]

Yes, resistance before it is too late. Needs all forces together in an united front for democracy and against MAGA republikans. Shuldn't be so difficult. Majority is here, on our side.

In every country the same, similar thing.

[carlosbelcech]

Hi Dear. Here in South America, Trump's administration has begun a way of war and threats, is evident that international right is over. In my country, the governemt wants to shut down science and universities. We are in hard times again.
Carlos

[RedshiftDrift]

@carlosbelcech Sorry to hear the hard times have started again for you. The Trump dictatorship is now independent of what voters will choose. The regime is already above the law and putting in place all the necessary measures to skew every future votes. There is no hope that the 2026 mid-terms will help, the fascist state is already established.

We're in for at least 20 years of hard times in science because the U.S., Russia, Israel, and China will be expanding their empires for resources. Ukraine, Gaza, Venezuela so far, then Colombia, Mexico, Greenland, Iran, Cuba, Argentina, Estonia and other Baltic states, Canada, Australia, Africa, Europe will all be attacked at an incredible cost for science and civilization.

One can only hope that this will negatively affect mainstream cosmologists and particle physicists so much, it will also mean the end of the Big Bang model...
Revolutions in science often coïncide with social revolutions.

[carlosbelcech]

I'm agree with you 100%.

Carlos.

[OlliSant]

The fascist state is already established? Is it true? We will fight anyway if Russia tries something, in Finland and in the Baltic States.