Trump's cuts to science are philistine acts

August 11, 2025

The quote “Truth is therefore the aim of science; science is the search for truth" from Karl Popper encapsulates the scientific method which he believed would protect future generations from assaults on the truth. Unfortunately, neither Donald Trump nor Robert Kennedy Jr have any notion of the principles underlying science and, consequently, have done irreparable harm to the American people.

The cancellation of US$600 million in funding to the company Moderna for development of an mRNA vaccine against bird flu, and then another US$500 million for 22 more projects developing mRNA vaccines, are philistine acts. All because Kennedy thinks vaccines are linked to autism in children, a theory that has been disproven over and over again.

Perhaps the most egregious of all the cuts, however, apart from the dismantling of USAID, are those relating to weather and climate, notably the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This is the main agency for weather forecasting and climate monitoring. And soon, NASA’s science branch, which plays a significant role in weather and climate forecasting through its Earth science research and satellite missions, will lose half its funding. This will, in turn, compromise Australia’s ability to make accurate weather forecasts.