The Trump administration has terminated all 22 members of the National Science Board with no explanation, dealing a heavy blow to America's scientific leadership and the National Science Foundation.

Keivan Stassun, a Vanderbilt professor among those ousted, described it as a 'wholesale evisceration'—a term that captures both the magnitude and the metaphorical nature of the move.

The board, established by President Truman in 1950, was set to meet on May 5th to discuss America's declining scientific competitiveness against China. With its members gone, these discussions will be postponed indefinitely.

Truman once noted that 'our ability to survive and grow as a Nation depends to a very large degree upon our scientific progress.' The board’s termination suggests a significant shift in priorities or perhaps an attempt at silencing voices critical of the administration's policies.