Jim O'Neill, a longevity enthusiast and vaccine skeptic, is Trump's pick to head the National Science Foundation

Published May 7, 2026 1:44PM (EDT)

Jim O’Neill & U.S. National Science Foundation building (Illustration by Salon / Getty Images / Alex Wong / Department of Health and Human Services)

President Donald Trump ‘s nominee for director of the National Science Foundation is Jim O’Neill, a polarizing Silicon Valley tech investor with prior roles in the Trump administration and a proponent of ideas and practices that live on the fringes of modern science. His nomination has drawn praise from contemporaries and withering criticism from scientists and advocates alike.

The position of NSF Director has been vacant since April 2025, when former director Sethuraman Panchanathan resigned amid orders from the Trump administration to drastically cut the NSF’s budget and personnel. O’Neill was selected by Trump for the role in late February.…