Museum of Natural History urged to cut ties with 'anti-science propagandist' Rebekah Mercer

More than 100 scientists have urged the museum to sever its ties with Mercer, one of Donald Trump’s top donors

The American Museum of Natural History is under pressure to sever its ties to Rebekah Mercer, one of Donald Trump’s top donors who has used her family’s fortune to fund groups that seek to undermine scientists’ work on climate change.

More than 200 scientists have put their names to a letter that urges the museum to “end ties to anti-science propagandists and funders of climate science misinformation” and axe Mercer from its board of trustees, a position she has held since 2013.

The Mercer family is headed by billionaire rightwing benefactor Bob Mercer, a computer scientist and hedge fund CEO. In 2015, The Washington Post named Mercer one of the 10 most influential billionaires in politics, and by conservative estimates he has donated more than $35m to political campaigns over the last 14 years.

Related: Robert Mercer invested offshore dark money to sink Clinton. He must be delighted | Jill Abramson