In a White House as radically anti-science as this one, it’s no surprise that scientists are being denied the usual honors.

President Trump, breaking a tradition that stretches back nearly two decades, will not personally greet the eight American Nobel laureates this year before they travel to Sweden in December to receive their prizes.

Considering that the Trump regime has censored scientists studying health effects of coal mining, removed vital scientific data from public sites, purged scientists from its scientific advisory boards, selected an anti-science nominee to head NASA, and that Republicans in Congress have joined them in blocking research into climate change, it’s not surprising that there would be a reluctance to welcome American scientists into the White House.

But then, several of those scientists weren’t exactly thrilled about the prospect of meeting such a science-hostile group in the first place.

Two American Nobel Prize winners, when contacted by STAT, indicated they would not have attended a White House event even if invited. Columbia biophysicist Joachim Frank, awarded a Nobel in chemistry for his work in microscopy, said in an email he was “very relieved” when he learned there was no chance of an encounter with the president.

Any Nobel Winners who wander up to Washington will be thrilled to find that Michael Kratsios— assistant to Trump supporter, Silicon Valley money man, and vampire Peter Thiel—will be there to greet them. Because nothing says “we value science” like sending the deputy director of the White House Office of Science and Technology to show what this crew thinks a Nobel is worth. But then, Kratsios does have a BS in science. Political science.