The anti-Trump editor of America’s oldest magazine has been forced out of her job after posting a string of foul-mouthed attacks on the president-elect.
DailyMail.com can reveal Laura Helmuth has ‘moved on’ from Scientific American after describing Trump fans as fascists, racists and sexists in a wild, late-night rant as it became apparent he had won the election.
There had been a mounting public campaign demanding she be fired for the inflammatory remarks.
A spokesman for the magazine said on Thursday: ‘Laura Helmuth has decided to move on from her position as editor in chief of Scientific American.
‘We wish her well for the future. As we enter our 180th year, we will be searching for our next editor in chief.’
The announcement comes two days after newly unearthed posts dating back to February revealed a pattern of vile remarks targeted towards Trump’s allies – including JD Vance and Robert F Kennedy Jr.
Helmuth, as the editor of Scientific American, which has been published continually since 1845, described anti-vaxxers as ‘f***ing ghouls’ in February, and days later lamented somehow being subscribed to Kennedy Jr’s mailing list.
‘He could not possibly be barking up a wronger tree,’ she wrote.
Laura Helmuth, the editor of America’s oldest magazine is now facing calls for her resignation after issuing a groveling apology for her anti-Trump rant earlier in the week
Newly unearthed social media posts dating back to February 2024 reveal a pattern of nasty remarks targeted toward Trump’s allies – including Vice Presidential pick JD Vance and Robert F Kennedy Jr
‘The messages are all sickening and shameless, but today’s is about how rules for getting on the ballot in Kansas are persecuting him. The subject line is ”bloody Kansas”. ‘This f***ing guy,’ she added. At the time, Kennedy Jr was still running for president.
He went on to drop out of the race and endorse Trump, and Trump later revealed Kennedy Jr would have a ‘special role’ in his government focusing on healthcare and women’s health.
In July, Helmuth threw her weight behind Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Setting her sights on JD Vance after he was announced as Trump’s running mate, she wrote: ‘As a stepparent, stepchild, half-sib and half-aunt I just cannot WAIT for whoever Kamala Harris’s VP pick is.
‘Kick JD Vance’s bigoted, misogynistic, white supremacist carcass to the f***ing moon.’
Helmuth served as editor in chief of the publication for four years and eight months. Prior to that, she was the health and science editor at the Washington Post.
On Thursday afternoon, she announced her departure on BSky, revealing: ‘I’ve decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief.
‘I’m going to take some time to think about what comes next (and go birdwatching).’
She then shared a thread of works she is particularly proud of over her years in command, including stories about climate change, gender affirming care for transgender children and gaslighting.
On Thursday afternoon, she announced her departure on BSky, revealing: ‘I’ve decided to leave Scientific American after an exciting 4.5 years as editor in chief’
He went on to drop out of the race and endorse Trump, and Trump later revealed Kennedy Jr would have a ‘special role’ in his government focusing on healthcare and women’s health
On election night, once it became apparent that Trump would return to the White House and there was no path to victory for Harris, Helmuth vented her frustrations online yet again
Scientific American endorsed Kamala Harris for president in September, asking readers to vote Democrat ‘to support science, health and the environment.’
The once-prestigious magazine made its first ever presidential endorsement for Joe Biden in 2020, sparking accusations against Helmuth and her staff that they were pushing a social justice agenda.
On election night, once it became apparent that Trump would return to the White House and there was no path to victory for Harris, Helmuth vented her frustrations online yet again.
‘I apologize to younger voters that my Gen X is so full of f*****g fascists,’ Helmuth wrote on the social media site Bluesky.
She went on: ‘Solidarity to everybody whose meanest, dumbest, most bigoted high-school classmates are celebrating early results because f**k them to the moon and back.’
Helmuth then went after her own home state: ‘Every four years I remember why I left Indiana (where I grew up) and remember why I respect the people who stayed and are trying to make it less racist and sexist.
‘The moral arc of the universe isn’t going to bend itself.’
The following day, Helmuth suggested her staff were as distraught as her, writing: ‘Any advice on what workplaces can do to help people who are devastated by the election? Thanks so much.’
Trump was elected the 47th president on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
Setting her sights on JD Vance after he was announced as Trump’s running mate, she wrote: ‘As a stepparent, stepchild, half-sib and half-aunt I just cannot WAIT for whoever Kamala Harris’s VP pick is.
Laura Helmuth, the editor-in-chief of Scientific American, went on a rampage against Trump supporters in now-deleted posts on social media, calling them fascists, racists and sexists
Helmuth issues a groveling apology for her ‘offensive and inappropriate posts’
Scientific American endorsed Kamala Harris for president in September, asking readers to vote Democrat ‘to support science, health and the environment’
Helmuth’s comments sparked immediate backlash, and she later walked back her statements claiming she was ‘shocked and confused’ when she made them.
‘I made a series of offensive and inappropriate posts on my personal Bluesky account on election night, and I am sorry. I respect and value people across the political spectrum,’ Helmuth began.
‘These posts, which I have deleted, do not reflect my beliefs; they were a mistaken expression of shock and confusion about the election results. These posts of course do not reflect the position of Scientific American or my colleagues. I am committed to civil communication and editorial objectivity.’
In recent years, loyal readers have complained that the publication has become obsessed with race and transgender issues.
In May 2023, Scientific American was blasted for publishing a piece which asserted that arguing there are only two sexes is ‘bad science.’
Scientific American also published a recent story accusing Donald Trump of pushing ‘eugenics.’
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