In recent years, Donald Trump’s administration has attracted much deserved spotlight for its consistent assault on truth and fact.…[T]hey would do irreparable harm to the integrity of the information that underpins American governance … — Experts on the “equity” provision The former president’s aggressive tactics include firing officials who present data contrary to his narrative and surrounding himself with individuals skeptical of science, particularly regarding public health.
In July, Trump threatened to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He alleged – no proof, of course – that her most recent report was “totally rigged.” This report punctures the Trump Administration’s foreboding fantasy about the economy. It implies that his administration was more interested in promoting a positive narrative than telling the truth.
Though U.S. presidents have long been critical of economic data, this is unprecedented in its vitriol. If someone says something he doesn’t approve of, that person is kicked out, noted Julian Zelizer, a political historian. The point is to scare them. In this manner, no one will dare speak ill of the administration.
In July, Trump went a step further by abruptly firing a 17-member panel of CDC advisers. This panel that had been out there for some time recommending vaccines. In their place, he appointed a much smaller committee stocked with clearly anti-vaccine members. This decision raised even more alarm over the administration’s dedication to following public health recommendations.
Trump’s claim that crime in Washington, D.C. was “out of control.” His reason for these incorrect claims, the facts went against him. This statement was a stunning rebuke to the failed recent data. It meant that violent crime per capita had fallen to a 30-year low in the nation’s capital.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s health secretary and a vocal skeptic of vaccines, has intensified efforts to block vaccines that many scientists regard as essential for public health. His position is consistent with Trump’s overall strategy to weaken any important scientific consensus.
Environmental policy has fared even worse during Trump’s tenure. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would roll back the vital 2009 endangerment finding. Such a finding had been the basis for regulatory initiatives to combat climate change. A crystal clear scientific consensus backed up this finding. The Trump administration used any scant evidence to kickstart efforts to remove this critical tool.
“Sabotaging independent sources of knowledge, flooding communications media with disinformation, and rewriting history’s narrative to conform to ideology rather than fact are hallmarks of authoritarianism,” stated Shane, an expert on government accountability.
In fact, Trump has made this false claim against former President Obama numerous times. He even called “treason” the Congressional and FBI investigations into Russian interference that sought to benefit his 2016 election campaign. Three separate investigations, led by the Senate’s impartial, bipartisan intelligence committee, concluded that Moscow was trying to help Trump win.
Trump’s allies are copying his mischief. Yet they are doing so by blatantly undermining accepted truths and sound science through creating new regulatory standards. Make no mistake – there is a strong inclination from Trump to remake our information, foundations and fortresses. In that spirit, Biden has nominated EJ Antoni, an economist from the far-right Heritage Foundation, to replace the ousted Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner.
As George Conway noted, that’s the main difference between Trump 1 and Trump 2. Now, Trump has zero guard rails. His new cabinet appears to be filled with individuals predisposed to supporting his ideas rather than questioning them. Now Trump is in orbit of people who aspire to be the next Trump.
In fact, many experts contend that this kind of antics threatens to erode the bedrock accomplishments in the sciences and governance.
“The United States did not put a man on the moon or invent the transistor or the internet by ignoring or making up facts,” emphasized Gerrard, a historian focusing on scientific advancement. He added, “All these achievements resulted from scientists doing the very hard work of discovering truths about the physical world and using them in brilliant ways.”
Gerrard further warned that a society unwilling to confront hard realities is one that is doomed to mediocrity. A country that goes the other way—completely ignoring facts that are inconvenient and making things up—can accomplish next to nothing except the glorification of those who think as the country’s leaders do. We are on a truly perilous course to growing mediocrity, or even worse.
Once again, Trump’s redefinition of rhetoric changes the definition to suit his needs. As Peter Shane remarked, “Rigged in Trump-speak just means ‘unfavorable to Trump.’” This sleight of hand is a central weapon in the war on dissenting voices and dissenting viewpoints.