Laura Helmuth has stepped down from her role as editor-in-chief of Scientific American. The magazine, recognized as the oldest continuously published periodical in the United States since its inception in 1845, announced her departure on Thursday. Helmuth’s exit follows a series of foul-mouthed posts she made online attacking supporters of President-elect Donald J. Trump.
The remarks on X alternative Bluesky, which were later deleted, included attacks on notable Trump allies, such as Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. “As a stepparent, stepchild, half-sib and half-aunt I just cannot WAIT for whoever Kamala Harris’s VP pick is,” she said following Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate, adding: “Kick J.D. Vance’s bigoted, misogynistic, white supremacist carcass to the f***ing MOON.”
As Trump’s election win was unfolding, she posted, “I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f***ing fascists,” adding: “Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f**k them to the moon and back.”
She also described the State of Indiana as “racist and sexist” and branded vaccine skeptics “f***ing ghouls.”
Helmuth apologized for her posts and described them as an inappropriate reaction to the election results, asserting that her comments did not represent the views of Scientific American or its staff. She claimed to be committed to impartiality and respectful dialogue in media.
Previously, Scientific American stirred controversy with its first presidential endorsement in 2020, supporting Joe Biden, and continued endorsement of Democratic candidates, including Kamala Harris, in September. In addition to this political activism, readers have questioned the magazine’s increasing focus on social issues like race and gender.
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