National Academy of Sciences pulls climate chapter from judges’ manual
President Donald Trump and other Republican officials had criticized this chapter as biased against fossil fuel companies
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has removed a climate change chapter from its Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence for judges, following criticism from President Donald Trump and other Republican officials. The chapter, titled "Reference Guide on Climate Science," was first included in the 2025 edition of the manual. Critics claimed the content was biased against fossil fuel companies.
The Federal Judicial Center, which collaborated with the NAS to produce the manual, pulled the chapter in February 2026 after receiving complaints from state attorneys general. The NAS stated that they are conducting an independent review to assess the processes used in developing the chapter, and it will not be published online until the review is complete.
The chapter covered topics such as the greenhouse effect, atmospheric cycling, and attribution science, and underwent peer review by both scientists and judges. The authors, Jessica Wentz and Radley Horton, argued that their work adhered to the same rigorous standards as other chapters in the manual.
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