‘Trying to bury the science’: Trump’s second‑term war on US climate research

In August 2025, the United States has embarked on a campaign to suppress climate science, as evidenced by the cancellation of a key Arctic report and the removal of a chapter on global warming from a reference manual for judges. This follows a series of budget cuts and layoffs during the first term of President Donald Trump, which seems to have intensified under his second term.

The Arctic Report Card, an annual publication since 2006, found that the polar region experienced its hottest year on record in 2025. This rapid warming, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is causing melting glaciers, sea ice, greener landscapes, and disruptions to global weather patterns. Known as "Arctic amplification," this phenomenon is several times faster than the global average.

Michael Mann, a climatologist from the University of Pennsylvania, described the administration's actions as a "losing effort" given the mounting evidence of climate change and the dramatic consequences witnessed this summer, such as heat domes and wildfires. Despite this, he acknowledged that the administration remains intent on burying the science.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which publishes the Arctic Report Card, confirmed that coordination of the 2026 edition would not be facilitated through the agency. While prior data would remain publicly available, the Arctic research program itself would continue to support work related to national security, weather prediction, safe navigation, and coastal economies.

The administration's war on climate science extends beyond the Arctic Report Card. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), an independent body that provides scientific expertise to policymakers, removed a chapter on climate science from a manual for judges. This action came after the NAS was accused of being biased by President Trump, who blasted the chapter as "fraudulent, biased and misleading" on social media.

The NAS stated that it had determined there were "considerable scrutinies" regarding the chapter and that they would conduct an independent review. This review is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025. The NAS's decision to remove the chapter aligns with President Trump's earlier claim that the chapter was fraudulent, biased, and misleading.

The removal of these scientific resources comes amid a broader assault on climate change attribution science, which examines whether individual extreme weather events can be linked to climate change. This science is crucial in numerous lawsuits against oil and gas companies. Carly Phillips, a scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, noted a "broad attack on attribution science" happening over the past few months, including from Republicans in Congress who are pushing to outlaw climate accountability lawsuits.

She emphasized that judges need reliable scientific information to evaluate these cases on their merits.