The Royal Society suggested to Elon Musk he should consider resigning his fellowship if he felt unable to help mitigate the Trump administration’s attacks on research, the Guardian has learned.
The owner of X, who is also CEO of Tesla and Space X, was elected a fellow of the UK’s national academy of sciences in 2018 for his contribution to the space and electric vehicle industries.
But over the past year, fellows and other scientists have repeatedly called on the Royal Society to take action over Musk’s comments and behaviour, saying he has violated the academy’s code of conduct, with open letters, resignations and the return of awards among their acts of protest against the academy’s apparent inertia on the matter.
Among other causes of the outcry was Musk’s role as head of the US department of government efficiency (Doge), a body that has slashed research funding and has been accused of imposing a regime of censorship on academia.
In March, the Guardian revealed the Royal Society decided Musk would not face an investigation for allegedly violating the code. It has now emerged that the president-elect of the society, Sir Paul Nurse, suggested to Musk in May that he should consider resigning his fellowship.
In an email sent to the Fellowship, the current president of the Royal Society, Sir Adrian Smith, revealed Nurse first wrote to Musk on 19 March regarding the “extensive damage” the Trump administration was inflicting on science in the US, and asking for Musk to “step in and reverse this tragedy”.
Smith added Musk replied immediately, “emphasising his strong commitment to science, and asking for specific details regarding Paul’s concerns”.
Sir Paul Nurse, the president-elect of the Royal Society, wrote to Musk about his concerns for science in the US. Photograph: Paul Nurse
Nurse then sent a further letter on 27 March suggesting Musk consult public sector scientists in the US to hear about the impact of the administration’s actions.
“Paul did not receive a response to this communication nor a subsequent reminder,” Smith wrote.
On 20 May, Nurse sent a letter raising concerns that had been shared with him by scientists in the US, including that “some of the proposed budget reductions appeared nonsensical”.
Smith wrote: “Paul also suggested in that letter – in sorrow – that ‘if you do not feel able to help, perhaps you should consider if you want to continue to be a Fellow of the Royal Society, the purpose of which is to promote and support science, and think whether you should resign your Fellowship.’”
Musk did not respond, however, until providing a short reply only when Smith and Nurse informed him that the substance of the correspondence would be shared with the fellowship.
A spokesperson for the academy confirmed Musk did not address the suggestion he should consider resigning his fellowship, stating: “Elon Musk remains a Fellow of the Royal Society.”
Smith’s email to the fellowship went on to say: “Officers and council of the society concluded that it was not in the interests of the Royal Society to pursue disciplinary action against Mr Musk.” He added that “sharp and opposing” differences of views were aired at a previous meeting of the fellowship, but that all agreed the global defence of science was the most important activity of the Society.
Not all fellows have supported calls to censure Musk, with some concerned it could raise questions about the position of others who have aired controversial views. However, one fellow with knowledge of Smith’s email described the society’s stance as “terrible cowardice”.
Another fellow with knowledge of the email said the leadership appeared to be taking the pragmatic rather than ethical view. “Musk’s opening of a new party, if it happens, predicts future fireworks, and that may also influence the closing of his [Royal Society] file at the time being,” they said.
Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, who is not a fellow of the Royal Society but organised the earlier open letter, welcomed the correspondence but said the academy should have taken a clearer and stronger stance.
“They have received no indication from Elon Musk that he shares the declared values of the Royal Society, so it should have been put to him that, absent this commitment, his fellowship would be terminated,” he said.
“I’m afraid once again the Royal Society has failed to stand by its own code of conduct, which must now be regarded as a meaningless document.”
Musk’s representatives were approached for comment.