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The editor in chief of Scientific American sparked controversy after posting inflammatory comments on social media following Donald Trump’s victory in the recent election.
Laura Helmuth, who leads America’s longest-running magazine, reportedly unleashed a series of heated social media posts targeting Trump supporters, particularly those from her own generation.
TRIGGERED: Read these posts by Laura Helmuth the Editor-in-Chief of Scientific American. These are the 'experts' we're supposed to trust?
h/t @TheRabbitHole84 pic.twitter.com/dcJcry5eeh
— @amuse (@amuse) November 6, 2024
“I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f****** fascists,” she wrote, according to screenshots shared by the Daily Mail.
“Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f*** them to the moon and back,” she apparently added.
Helmuth’s posts included criticism of her home state, Indiana, suggesting it harbored racist and sexist attitudes. This outburst prompted social media users to demand her resignation, with many questioning her ability to lead a respected scientific publication.
Following the backlash, Helmuth issued an apology, acknowledging that election night emotions had clouded her judgment. She emphasized her commitment to maintaining editorial objectivity and respecting diverse political viewpoints.
“I made a series of offensive and inappropriate posts on my personal Bluesky account on election night, and I am sorry,” Helmuth wrote in a statement, according to the New York Post. “I respect and value people across the political spectrum. These posts, which I have deleted, do not reflect my beliefs; they were a mistaken expression of shock and confusion about the election results.”
Series of posts by Scientific American's Laura Helmuth who turned America's oldest magazine into her personal political blog of bigotry and hate.
When you're so disconnected from American reality don't be shocked that trust in your magazine evaporates.
Science is not politics. pic.twitter.com/kgsCEUIomU
— Paul D. Thacker (@thackerpd) November 6, 2024
Under Helmuth’s leadership since 2020, Scientific American has demonstrated increasing political involvement, breaking its nearly two-century tradition of political neutrality by endorsing Joe Biden’s presidential bid. The publication later endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race.
The magazine has recently published controversial content, including articles supporting gender ideology and dismissing theories about COVID-19’s origins. It has also produced pieces suggesting racial implications in various fields, from mathematics to professional football.
Helmuth later sought advice about supporting workplace colleagues struggling with the election results, while maintaining that her personal views don’t represent Scientific American’s position. The publication has not responded to requests for comment regarding this incident.
