Trump 2.0 has deleted or altered nearly 400 US datasets, endangering public health, education and more
Health data appears to be most affected by administration’s attempt to wipe findings that don’t align with its priorities, tracker shows A database of federal law enforcement officer misconduct records. A survey measuring physical, sexual and emotional violence against children and youth. Real-time pollution readings collected by air quality monitors from US embassies around the world. These are…
Recent reports reveal that the Trump administration has deleted or altered nearly 400 US datasets, potentially jeopardizing crucial areas such as public health, education, and more. The online tracker, released by dataindex.us, a coalition of data policy experts, researchers, and developers, highlights these changes. According to the tracker, over the past 18 months, at least 28 federal datasets have been deleted, while 338 have been modified.
Health datasets are among the most affected by the administration's campaign to erase findings that contradict its priorities, comprising approximately 40% of the total number of terminated or altered data collections. The National HIV Surveillance System, the National Violent Death Reporting System, and surveys evaluating Prep uptake among gay men and communities of color are among the health datasets that have had information removed.
In particular, multiple CDC surveys no longer collect data on queer and trans individuals as part of Trump's executive order, "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government."
Additionally, vital health datasets like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's Drug Abuse Warning Network, which tracks drug-related emergency room visits, and a National Center for Education Statistics survey on teachers and principals' pay and working conditions, have been taken down or altered. These datasets are crucial for identifying emerging epidemics and understanding vulnerable populations, as noted by Thomas Babor, a professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut specializing in public health and addiction.
Other deleted datasets include the USDA's twice-annual survey of farm employers and a National Center for Education Statistics survey of school pay and working conditions. The launch of the online tracker by dataindex.us is a response to the difficulty in identifying deleted datasets, as government agencies are not required to notify the public when data collections are terminated.
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