
The Silencing Science Tracker is a joint initiative of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund. It tracks government attempts to restrict or prohibit scientific research, education or discussion, or the publication or use of scientific information, since the November 2016 election. Read more about the tracker and related resources. Please contact Olivia Guarna (ong2107@columbia.edu) or Dana Willbanks (dwillbanks@csldf.org) to recommend relevant media reports we may have missed or provide responses or corrections to media reports we have included.
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- Date
- 2025-07-03
- Action
- EPA Places 144 Employees on Leave for Signing Letter Critical of the Trump Administration
- Agency
- EPA, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Government Censorship
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
EPA placed 144 employees on administrative leave after they signed onto a letter accusing the Trump administration of undermining the agency’s “mission of protecting human health and the environment” and “[i]gnoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters.”
- Date
- 2025-07
- Action
- NASA to Lose 2,145 Senior Staff
- Agency
- Federal, NASA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Personnel Changes
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
In July 2025, Politico reported that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was set to lose 2,145 employees from senior roles.
- Date
- 2025-06-24
- Action
- Department of Defense to Stop Sharing Satellite Data with Scientists
- Agency
- DOD, Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Research Hindrance
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to stop providing vital atmospheric and oceanic data to scientists and weather forecasters.
- Date
- 2025-05-31
- Action
- Nearly All Staff Overseeing Climate.gov Terminated
- Agency
- DOC, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Government Censorship
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
On May 31, 2025, nearly all of the staff responsible for creating and maintaining the US government’s climate science education website were fired. No new content is expected to be published on the site.
- Date
- 2025-05-28
- Action
- Trump Administration Cancels Contract for Bird Flu Vaccine Development
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
On May 28, 2025, the Trump administration canceled a $590 million contract with Moderna supporting the development of a bird flu vaccine for humans and expanded clinical studies for additional pandemic influenza subtypes.
- Date
- 2025-05-22
- Action
- “MAHA” Report Contains Numerous Errors, Cites Nonexistent Studies
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Bias and Misrepresentation
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services has released the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) Commission’s report on childhood chronic diseases. The report has been found to contain references to studies that do not exist, misrepresentations of scientific conclusions, and other errors.
- Date
- 2025-05-20
- Action
- Interior Secretary Downplays the Risks of Climate Change
- Agency
- DOI, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Bias and Misrepresentation
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum told a House of Representatives committee that the U.S. has “plenty of time” to address the climate crisis. He also appeared to question whether climate change is happening, referring to “potential temperature change.”
- Date
- 2025-05-15
- Action
- Trump Administration Cancels Federal Funding for Harvard School of Public Health
- Agency
- Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
On May 15, 2025, more than 130 researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health were notified that federal funding for their work was being cancelled, following Harvard's refusal to comply with a list of demands from the Trump administration.
- Date
- 2025-05-08
- Action
- All 37 NSF Divisions Abolished, Directors and Staff Reassigned
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Personnel Changes
- Scientists Affected
- Climate, Other
- Summary
On May 8, 2025, National Science Foundation staff were informed that the agency’s 37 divisions will be abolished and the number of programs significantly reduced.
- Date
- 2025-05-08
- Action
- NOAA Will Stop Tracking Cost of Climate-Related Disasters
- Agency
- DOC, Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Research Hindrance
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will no longer update the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, which has tracked weather-related disasters and their economic impact since 1980.
- Date
- 2025-05-07
- Action
- Trump Administration Cuts Funding for EPA Office of Research and Development
- Agency
- EPA, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
The Trump administration halted funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD), the agency’s main science division.
- Date
- 2025-05-06
- Action
- NOAA Decommissions Sea Ice Datasets
- Agency
- DOC, Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is ending its support for certain snow and ice data products provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. The National Snow and Ice Data Center announced that, as a result of NOAA’s actions, it will reduce the level of service for affected products, “meaning that they will remain accessible but may not be actively maintained, updated, or fully supported.”
- Date
- 2025-05
- Action
- Trump Administration Closes 25 USGS Water Science Centers
- Agency
- DOC, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate, Other
- Summary
The Trump administration has ordered the closure of 25 United States Geological Service water science centers after the “Department of Government Efficiency” terminated the centers’ leases.
- Date
- 2025-05
- Action
- NOAA Cuts Decimate Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory
- Agency
- Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts, Personnel Changes
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
Cuts in funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have led to a 35% reduction in staff at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and strict spending limits have made it difficult for staff who remain to purchase even basic equipment.
- Date
- 2025-04-30
- Action
- HHS Secretary Kennedy Makes Misleading Statements about MMR Vaccine
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Bias and Misrepresentation
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy incorrectly stated that the MMR vaccine contains “a lot of aborted fetus debris” in the midst of a measles outbreak.
- Date
- 2025-04-29
- Action
- HHS Halts Ebola Research
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Personnel Changes, Research Hindrance
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
The Department of Health and Human Services ordered an indefinite pause on research conducted at a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases facility into ebola and other infectious disease treatment and prevention.
- Date
- 2025-04-28
- Action
- 63 NIH Vaccine Research Center Scientists Fired
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
Between January 20 and and April 28, 2025 the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health lost 63 of its roughly 200 contract staff after the Department of Health and Human Services and the “Department of Government Efficiency” ordered a 35% cut to contract spending.
- Date
- 2025-04-21
- Action
- Websites for U.S. Regional Climate Centers Go Dark
- Agency
- Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
On April 21, 2025, websites for U.S. regional climate centers went dark due to a funding delay within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, halting public access to crucial climate data.
- Date
- 2025-04-21
- Action
- Trump Administration Cancels Funding for Women’s Health Initiative
- Agency
- Federal, HHS, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Other
- Summary
The National Institutes of Health’s Women’s Health Initiative announced that the contracts supporting its four regional centers will be terminated and that the program’s clinical coordinating center “will continue operations until January 2026, after which time its funding remains uncertain.”
- Date
- 2025-04-16
- Action
- Previously Approved NSF Grants Paused Pending Additional Review
- Agency
- Federal, NSF, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate, Other
- Summary
The National Science Foundation (NSF)’s division of grants and awards is returning previously approved grant proposals for a “secondary review” to ensure funded projects align with President Trump’s priorities.
- Date
- 2025-04-15
- Action
- Trump Cancels EPA Scientific Advisors Meeting
- Agency
- EPA, Federal, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Government Censorship
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
On April 15, 2025, the Trump administration canceled a meeting of top scientific advisors to the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Date
- 2025-04-15
- Action
- NSF Advisory Committees Discontinued
- Agency
- Federal, NSF, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Government Censorship
- Scientists Affected
- Climate, Other
- Summary
11 advisory committees to the National Science Foundation (NSF) were discontinued.
- Date
- 2025-04-11
- Action
- White House’s Proposed FY2026 Budget Cuts NASA Funding
- Agency
- Federal, NASA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate, Other
- Summary
President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 proposes to cut the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s overall budget by 20%, with cuts primarily affecting the Science Mission Directorate and its research in planetary science, Earth science, and astrophysics research.
- Date
- 2025-04-11
- Action
- Trump Proposes $1.7 Billion Cut to NOAA
- Agency
- Federal, NOAA, Trump Administration (Second)
- Explanation
- Budget Cuts
- Scientists Affected
- Climate
- Summary
The Trump administration has proposed a $1.7 billion cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s 2026 budget and the elimination of nearly all NOAA research labs.
Date | Action | Agency | Explanation | Scientists Affected | Summary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-07-03
|
EPA Places 144 Employees on Leave for Signing Letter Critical of the Trump Administration
#/table_listing/node/4248
edit
|
EPA,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Government Censorship
|
Climate
|
EPA placed 144 employees on administrative leave after they signed onto a letter accusing the Trump administration of undermining the agency’s “mission of protecting human health and the environment” and “[i]gnoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters.” |
2025-07
|
Federal,
NASA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Personnel Changes
|
Other
|
In July 2025, Politico reported that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was set to lose 2,145 employees from senior roles. |
|
2025-06-24
|
DOD,
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Research Hindrance
|
Climate
|
The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to stop providing vital atmospheric and oceanic data to scientists and weather forecasters. |
|
2025-05-31
|
DOC,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Government Censorship
|
Climate
|
On May 31, 2025, nearly all of the staff responsible for creating and maintaining the US government’s climate science education website were fired. No new content is expected to be published on the site. |
|
2025-05-28
|
Trump Administration Cancels Contract for Bird Flu Vaccine Development
#/table_listing/node/4130
edit
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Other
|
On May 28, 2025, the Trump administration canceled a $590 million contract with Moderna supporting the development of a bird flu vaccine for humans and expanded clinical studies for additional pandemic influenza subtypes. |
2025-05-22
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Bias and Misrepresentation
|
Other
|
The Department of Health and Human Services has released the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) Commission’s report on childhood chronic diseases. The report has been found to contain references to studies that do not exist, misrepresentations of scientific conclusions, and other errors. |
|
2025-05-20
|
DOI,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Bias and Misrepresentation
|
Climate
|
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum told a House of Representatives committee that the U.S. has “plenty of time” to address the climate crisis. He also appeared to question whether climate change is happening, referring to “potential temperature change.” |
|
2025-05-15
|
Trump Administration Cancels Federal Funding for Harvard School of Public Health
#/table_listing/node/4215
edit
|
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Other
|
On May 15, 2025, more than 130 researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health were notified that federal funding for their work was being cancelled, following Harvard's refusal to comply with a list of demands from the Trump administration. |
2025-05-08
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Personnel Changes
|
Climate,
Other
|
On May 8, 2025, National Science Foundation staff were informed that the agency’s 37 divisions will be abolished and the number of programs significantly reduced. |
|
2025-05-08
|
DOC,
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Research Hindrance
|
Climate
|
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will no longer update the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database, which has tracked weather-related disasters and their economic impact since 1980. |
|
2025-05-07
|
Trump Administration Cuts Funding for EPA Office of Research and Development
#/table_listing/node/4056
edit
|
EPA,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate
|
The Trump administration halted funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD), the agency’s main science division. |
2025-05-06
|
DOC,
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate
|
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is ending its support for certain snow and ice data products provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder. The National Snow and Ice Data Center announced that, as a result of NOAA’s actions, it will reduce the level of service for affected products, “meaning that they will remain accessible but may not be actively maintained, updated, or fully supported.” |
|
2025-05
|
DOC,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate,
Other
|
The Trump administration has ordered the closure of 25 United States Geological Service water science centers after the “Department of Government Efficiency” terminated the centers’ leases. |
|
2025-05
|
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts,
Personnel Changes
|
Climate
|
Cuts in funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have led to a 35% reduction in staff at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and strict spending limits have made it difficult for staff who remain to purchase even basic equipment. |
|
2025-04-30
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Bias and Misrepresentation
|
Other
|
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy incorrectly stated that the MMR vaccine contains “a lot of aborted fetus debris” in the midst of a measles outbreak. |
|
2025-04-29
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Personnel Changes,
Research Hindrance
|
Other
|
The Department of Health and Human Services ordered an indefinite pause on research conducted at a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases facility into ebola and other infectious disease treatment and prevention. |
|
2025-04-28
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Other
|
Between January 20 and and April 28, 2025 the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health lost 63 of its roughly 200 contract staff after the Department of Health and Human Services and the “Department of Government Efficiency” ordered a 35% cut to contract spending. |
|
2025-04-21
|
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate
|
On April 21, 2025, websites for U.S. regional climate centers went dark due to a funding delay within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, halting public access to crucial climate data. |
|
2025-04-21
|
Federal,
HHS,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Other
|
The National Institutes of Health’s Women’s Health Initiative announced that the contracts supporting its four regional centers will be terminated and that the program’s clinical coordinating center “will continue operations until January 2026, after which time its funding remains uncertain.” |
|
2025-04-16
|
Federal,
NSF,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate,
Other
|
The National Science Foundation (NSF)’s division of grants and awards is returning previously approved grant proposals for a “secondary review” to ensure funded projects align with President Trump’s priorities. |
|
2025-04-15
|
EPA,
Federal,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Government Censorship
|
Climate
|
On April 15, 2025, the Trump administration canceled a meeting of top scientific advisors to the Environmental Protection Agency. |
|
2025-04-15
|
Federal,
NSF,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Government Censorship
|
Climate,
Other
|
11 advisory committees to the National Science Foundation (NSF) were discontinued. |
|
2025-04-11
|
Federal,
NASA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate,
Other
|
President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year 2026 proposes to cut the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s overall budget by 20%, with cuts primarily affecting the Science Mission Directorate and its research in planetary science, Earth science, and astrophysics research. |
|
2025-04-11
|
Federal,
NOAA,
Trump Administration (Second)
|
Budget Cuts
|
Climate
|
The Trump administration has proposed a $1.7 billion cut to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s 2026 budget and the elimination of nearly all NOAA research labs. |