After calling Trumpists “fascists,” the editor-in-chief of “Scientific American” resigns

Laura Helmuth, editor-in-chief of America's oldest magazine, Scientific Americanannounced his resignation after a controversy sparked by inflammatory statements about Donald Trump's voters, CNN noted this Friday. These comments, posted on Bluesky and since deleted, called Donald Trump voters “the nastiest, stupidest, most bigoted group”, adding that they were “fascists”.

These statements were made after the re-election of Donald Trump and quickly sparked a strong reaction, particularly on X, where Laura Helmuth was widely criticized. Later, in a message on Bluesky, Laura Helmuth indicated that she had “decided to leave Scientific American after four and a half exciting years as editor-in-chief,” without directly mentioning the comments that sparked this controversy.

Public apology… but it’s already too late

Faced with the outcry, Laura Helmuth publicly apologized, calling her comments “offensive and inappropriate”. She clarified that they did not “reflect the position” of the magazine. “I respect and appreciate people across the political spectrum. These posts, which I have deleted, do not reflect my beliefs; they were a misguided expression of shock and confusion over the election results,” she wrote.

Kimberly Lau, President of Scientific Americanconfirmed in a statement that Helmuth's decision to leave his position was personal. “We thank Laura Helmuth for her four years at the helm of Scientific American, during which the magazine won major science communications awards and saw the establishment of a redesigned digital newsroom. We wish him the best for the future,” she said.

Founded 179 years ago (in 1875), Scientific American is the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. He has taken political positions before, including supporting Kamala Harris in the 2020 election and stating that Trump “endangers public health and safety and rejects evidence, preferring absurd conspiracy fantasies.”