Innovation has always been at the core of the American way of life. From Thomas Edison making the first commercially available light bulb to Steve Jobs and the iPhone, discoveries that have the potential to change the world have helped to define America’s Greatness. The United States has therefore made science and technology a significant national priority, affirmed by a strong presence of science in the White House for more than 60 years. In contrast, President Trump and his administration have dismissed science from the White House by refusing to employ his Office of Science and Technology Policy. The President’s choice to act without scientific advice is placing the country at risk of falling behind on the global stage and endangering our ability to respond to crises.

President Eisenhower set up the first science advisory office housed within the Executive Office of the President. However, it was not permanently established until President Ford worked with Congress to create the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This action ensured that no future administration would be able to overlook science and technology advice on critical issues relating to the success and safety of the country. The Congressional mandate cannot be revoked by a president and states that the office exists to provide counsel and to coordinate scientific endeavors across the federal government.

The size of OSTP has varied since its inception, but by the end of the Obama Administration, it comprised more than 115 staff, fellows, and experts from other government departments and academia. As President Trump continues to fill his administration, he has made no effort to maintain OSTP. He is not able to dissolve the Office, but his neglect allows it to sit virtually vacant, lacking leadership and scientific staff, and with no apparent direction. In its current capacity, OSTP is incapable of performing its Congressionally mandated functions of setting scientific priorities, preparing funding recommendations, and supporting visionary ideas.

On a daily basis, the modern OSTP drives American innovation and boosts the economy by exploring emerging influential topics like nanotechnology, gene editing, and artificial intelligence. In order to stay ahead of the curve, OSTP examines how technologies like these affect our lives, their political implications, possible regulations involved with their use, and how to ensure the American workforce is prepared to compete for skilled jobs in these new disciplines.

OSTP also advocates for federal research funds so that scientists in the United States can continue their cutting edge work. OSTP’s suggestions are included in the president’s federal budget that is proposed to Congress each year. President Trump’s proposed budget for 2018, formulated without a working OSTP, significantly cuts the funding allocated to scientific agencies, including those whose work directly affects all Americans such as the National Institutes of Health’s Cancer Institute and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service.

OSTP is important in emergency situations as well. When there is a crisis, OSTP can immediately tap the expertise of its staff to get as much evidence and perspective on a topic as possible to advise the president quickly. These experts, unbiased by the agendas of other government agencies, approach the scientific aspects of crises with policy experience and technical knowledge that allow them to formulate a response in the best interest of the country.

When Ebola ravaged Western Africa in 2014, OSTP staff including microbiologists and epidemiologists were on call to assess how to respond to the outbreak while exposing as few Americans as possible. The use of chemical warfare in Syria is a current situation where OSTP would react. While there are members of the military trained to deal with chemical warfare, it is also valuable to have OSTP experts who are not part of the Department of Defense, understand the science and technology of the biological or chemical weapon, and know how to develop a policy response to protect the American people.

No matter your political leaning, OSTP works on your behalf. From Eisenhower to Bush, from Kennedy to Obama, presidential science advisory was moving America forward in the world and keeping the American people safe. If President Trump truly wants to keep America “great” and reaffirm our position as an influential power, strengthen the economy, support job creation, and protect the citizens of the United States, he must stop distancing himself from the scientific community. President Ford highlighted the importance of OSTP, “without such technical assistance, a President could, and probably would, make serious errors of judgement affecting our nation’s future security, health, and prosperity.”

As Ph.D. students who were interns at OSTP, we experienced presidential science advising first-hand and were inspired by the brilliant scientists who dedicated their knowledge to serve their country. We now call on you to fight for the importance of science in informing policy and to demand that President Trump prioritize OSTP in his Executive Office.

It is ironic and disturbing that a budget entitled “A New Foundation for American Greatness” encourages actions that will hurt the innovation and discovery that are at the heart of our nation. This proposed budget is only one example of the Trump administration’s rejection of science in the White House. Without a functioning OSTP, President Trump is jeopardizing our global leadership and increasing our susceptibility to emergency threats. Only when we embrace our collective knowledge and value American science will we truly be back on the path to Greatness.