Scientific American Editor-in-chief leaves after anti-Trump comments
Scientific American editor-in-chief Laura Helmuth is stepping down after she shared several profanity-filled postings about Donald Trump's election win on social media.
Scientific American editor-in-chief Laura Helmuth is leaving the publication less than two weeks after she shared several profanity-laced postings about the results of the presidential election on the social media app Bluesky.
“I’ve decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief,” Helmuth wrote Thursday on BlueSky. “I’m going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching)...”
It was not clear if Helmuth’s social media posts or backlash to them played a role in her departure. Helmuth declined an interview request and said she was unable to comment.
Scientific American did not directly respond to questions about Helmuth’s departure, but its president, Kimberly Lau, said in a statement: “Laura Helmuth has decided to move on from her position as editor in chief of Scientific American. 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. We wish her well for the future.”
Helmuth became a target of some conservative commentators after a series of Bluesky posts on Nov. 5, in the wake of the election. The posts have been deleted from her profile, but screenshots have been shared widely.
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