Trump Administration Dismisses Entire Team Behind National Climate Report

Recipients received an email stating that the scope of the assessment is being reevaluated under the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The notice abruptly released all current participants from their roles without providing a clear path forward for the congressionally mandated report, previously scheduled for release in 2028.

Dr. Rachel Cleetus, a senior policy director at the Union of Concerned Scientists and a contributor to the report, characterized the move as a senseless dismantling of vital climate research. She argued that the only entities poised to benefit from the disruption are those in the fossil fuel industry, noting that the administration has consistently prioritized oil, gas, and coal interests since taking office. The assessment has served as the definitive research on climate transformation across U.S. economic sectors and ecosystems since 2000. This latest action follows earlier budgetary cuts to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, further signaling a shift in federal scientific priorities.