Laura Helmuth, the foul-mouthed editor-in-chief (EIC) of Scientific American has stepped down following massive backlash after she posted a series of posts filled with expletive content on social media, as she criticized President-elect Donald Trump's supporters on the night of the election.
The former lead editor of the U.S.'s oldest continuously published magazine called some of Trump's voters "fascists" and "bigoted" in a now-deleted post on the liberal-leaning social media platform Bluesky.
"Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and sexist. The moral arc of the universe isn't going to bend itself," she wrote. "Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f*** them to the moon and back," she said. Another post said, "I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f**ing fascists."
Helmuth, who was appointed as the magazine's EIC in 2020, announced her resignation on social media on Nov. 14.
?BREAKING!
Disgraced @SciAm Editor in Chief @laurahelmuth Has Resigned!
Among many pieces of disinformation Laura Helmuth falsely claimed the lab leak hypothesis is a conspiracy theory. And published a disinformation ridden pandemic origin article by Peter Jacobs & Stuart Neil. pic.twitter.com/cxDFYjxolE
— Florin (@Florin_Uncovers) November 14, 2024
"I've decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor-in-chief. I'm going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching)," she said.
Her rants during election night were massively lambasted by conservative voters online. Realizing the implications of her posts, Helmuth issued a public apology on the platform.
"I made a series of offensive and inappropriate posts on my personal Bluesky account on election night, and I am sorry. I respect and value people across the political spectrum," she said, attributing her comments to "shock and confusion about the election results." (Related: Scientific American's Laura Helmuth continues campaign to embarrass and humiliate herself.)
She said that she had deleted the posts and that they did not reflect the position of Scientific American or her colleagues.
"I am committed to civil communication and editorial objectivity," she added.
Despite removing her expletive-ridden posts and a public apology, Big Tech mogul Elon Musk, a vocal staunch supporter of Trump accused Helmuth of being a political activist who has taken over a scientific institution.
Meanwhile, the magazine's president, Kimberly Lau, lauded the EIC's tenure as she issued a statement regarding Helmuth's resignation.
"We thank Laura for her four years leading Scientific American during which time the magazine won major science communications awards and saw the establishment of a reimagined digital newsroom," Lau said.
In 2020, under Helmuth's leadership in the publication, the magazine endorsed then-Democratic presidential bet Joe Biden. That was the first time in 175 years that Scientific American endorsed a presidential candidate. It also endorsed outgoing Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris this year.
The editorial board claimed that Trump "endangers public health and safety and rejects evidence, preferring instead nonsensical conspiracy fantasies."
Podcaster Joe Rogan urges Trump to unite America and ignore his political foes
"The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast host, Joe Rogan, called on Trump to just ignore his critics and refrain from attacking his political foes. He suggested that the 47th POTUS just focused on unity during his second term in the White House.
"He's got to unite people. He's got to not attack the left, not attack everybody. Let them all talk their s–t, but unite," Rogan said of Trump, 78, on the latest episode of his wildly popular podcast with comedian and Libertarian Dave Smith.
He added that Trump had the "right message" during his first White House term, but called him "the wrong messenger."
"It's Donald Trump as the messenger was so polarizing that people lost what's really going on just based on who this guy is," he said. "Just like Tony Hinchcliffe is an insult comic, Donald Trump's entire career is 'You're fired! You're a loser. Rosie O'Donnell's a loser.' Like that's his whole shtick."
The host nonchalantly endorsed Trump for re-election in a post on X, formerly Twiter, promoting his episode with tech billionaire and fellow Trump supporter Musk.
"If it wasn't for him, we'd be f–ked," Rogan wrote of Musk. "He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you'll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way. For the record, yes, that's an endorsement of Trump."
Rogan previously endorsed liberal Democrat Bernie Sanders in 2020, and in 2022, he said he was "not a Trump supporter in any way, shape or form." But this year, he gave the Republican presidential candidate his backing less than 24 hours before Election Day.
In his interview with Musk, Rogan said, "[The Democrats] have done such a job of painting Trump as a monster, you know, they've taken the worst things that he's ever said and [amplified them] and he's not a perfect person. But guess what? No one's perfect. They don't exist."
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