Trump’s Science Panel Lacks Scientists

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has historically operated outside the spotlight, often drawing attention only during moments of controversy. The group’s low profile was evident under the previous administration, which took months to appoint its members. Given that history, the extended delay in announcing a roster under the current White House was not unexpected. What is remarkable, however, is the composition of the list finally unveiled this week. The new appointees are distinguished by an almost complete absence of practicing scientists, instead leaning heavily toward prominent figures from the technology and investment sectors.

While nine vacancies remain on the council, leaving room for future additions, the current appointments create a pronounced tilt. The roster is dominated by extremely wealthy technology executives and investors. It includes well-known names such as investor Marc Andreessen, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Dell’s Michael Dell, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang, AMD’s Lisa Su, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. The trend continues with lesser-known appointees who share similar professional backgrounds. Safra Catz is another Oracle executive, Fred Ehrsam co-founded the cryptocurrency platform Coinbase, and David Friedberg is a venture capitalist.

This direction was foreshadowed by earlier appointments to the panel’s leadership. The previously named chairs are investor David Sacks and John Kratsios, a former investment firm CFO who now leads the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The council’s current makeup raises questions about the balance between business leadership and scientific expertise in guiding federal policy on critical technological and research matters. The emphasis on financial and corporate backgrounds marks a significant shift from panels in prior administrations, which typically featured a stronger contingent of academic researchers and working scientists.