President Donald Trump rechartered the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) in an executive order on Thursday, restructuring the council and emphasizing “American leadership” as its goal.
PCAST’s current form was defined by George W. Bush in 2001 and has been rechartered by each successive president. This is Trump’s second time rechartering the council since he first rechartered it in 2019 during his first administration.
“Today, across science, medicine, and technology, ideological dogmas have surfaced that elevate group identity above individual achievement, enforce conformity at the expense of innovative ideas, and inject politics into the heart of the scientific method,” the order reads.
“This order establishes the [PCAST] to unite the brightest minds from academia, industry, and government to guide our Nation through this critical moment by charting a path forward for American leadership in science and technology,” it adds.
The order calls for a committee of no more than 24 members. It will be co-chaired by Michael Kratsios, the assistant to the president for science and technology currently awaiting Senate confirmation, and David Sacks, the special advisor for AI and crypto.
Kratsios served as the Federal chief technology officer in Trump’s first administration. Sacks is an early Paypal executive and current podcast host.
The remaining members of PCAST will be appointed by Trump from outside the Federal government.
“These non-Federal members shall have diverse perspectives and expertise in science, technology, education, and innovation,” the order reads.
The executive order requires the PCAST to meet regularly and gather information across a wide range of stakeholders including universities, the private sector, and state and local governments to advise Trump and other Federal agencies on science and technology policy.
The order emphasizes the goals of promoting “the American economy, the American worker, national and homeland security among other topics.”
Additionally, it allows the PCAST to form subcommittees to obtain classified documents to “provide advice and analysis.”
PCAST will be financially and administratively supported by the Department of Energy and its members will not be paid for work related to PCAST.
Trump’s order revoked former President Biden’s PCAST order from 2021 and its subsequent amendments. The order also allowed for PCAST to be terminated in two years unless Trump decides to extend it.
