An order to stop communicating with the public has been rescinded at the US Department of Agriculture's main research arm after public outcry.
BuzzFeed News, which broke the story, reported that the order was a mistake.
Similar gag orders have been issued at other agencies. It's unclear if the muzzling is more widespread than it has been in previous administrations — some employees say yes, while others say no — but given the Donald Trump administration's hostility toward the press, it could certainly be an indicator of the level of transparency to come.
Scientists, especially, remain concerned that this could be the start of a federal crackdown on scientists talking to the press and the rest of the academic community, similar to what Canada saw under its prime minister Stephen Harper.
