Scientific American previously endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Laura Helmuth, the editor-in-chief of Scientific American, resigned following controversial social media posts where she referred to Trump voters as “fascists.”
Scientific American, established in 1845, is the oldest continuously published magazine in the US.
Helmuth announced her resignation on Thursday, describing her 4.5 years as editor-in-chief as “exciting,” and stating her intention to “take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching).”
Kimberly Lau, the magazine’s president, confirmed Helmuth’s departure was voluntary, praising her for creating “a reimagined digital newsroom” and leading the magazine to “major science communications awards.”
Helmuth, who joined Scientific American in April 2020 after working at the Washington Post, oversaw the magazine’s first-ever presidential endorsement in 2020, backing Joe Biden and criticizing Trump’s rejection of science. The magazine subsequently endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Following the election, Helmuth posted on Bluesky, a social media platform popular among Democrats, criticizing Trump voters, using strong language and expressing disappointment with her generation’s political leanings. She also criticized her home state.
Screenshots of these posts circulated on X, leading to criticism of Helmuth for politicizing the publication.
Before her resignation, Helmuth attempted to distance herself and the magazine from her controversial comments, stating that they did not reflect her beliefs and were a mistaken reaction to the election results.
Her departure followed Elon Musk’s suggestion that the magazine “needs a change in management,” although his comment stemmed from a separate criticism of an article, not Helmuth’s political statements.