In recent years, federal agencies have begun branding certain research and policy decisions as ~30 a phrase intended to signal rigor, trustworthiness, and methodological purity. On the surface, the impulse makes sense: in a time of eroding public trust, science communicators are eager for language that reassures. But as several analysts have pointed out, the label carries risks that can ultimately undermine the very credibility it seeks to bolster.

Political interference in science refers to situations where governments, political leaders, or interest groups attempt to influence scientific research, communication, or policy outcomes for political gain. This influence can take many forms including subtle pressure, selective funding, censorship, or discrediting experts.

The past several years have seen growing concern among researchers, agency staff, and science-policy observers about the effects of political interference on the integrity of federal science. Reporting from multiple outlets describes how actions taken under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have reshaped scientific agencies in ways that many scientists say undermine independence, continuity, and public trust.