Sluggishness and defensiveness helped enable an executive order on research integrity

In the last few weeks, Science has published commentary condemning and supporting the Restoring Gold Standard Science executive order from the Trump administration that purports to strengthen research integrity in the United States through greater government oversight. The scientific community has largely reacted negatively to the directive, fearing that the way oversight by political appointees is specified in the order will lead to interference in the curiosity-driven process of science. This distress is understandable given the administration's abrupt and arbitrary actions to cut research funding and curtail or even stop the participation of foreign students in research. The United States has been a global leader in science because of high levels of funding, less government interference, and participation of the best talent from around the world. These aspects appear to be in danger, and it is logical to suspect that the executive order is another mechanism for weakening the scientific enterprise.