On December 17, 2025, the Trump administration sent shockwaves through the scientific community by announcing plans to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the largest federal climate research lab in the United States. The move, which White House Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought revealed in a statement on X, was justified by administration officials as a response to what they termed "climate alarmism" at the Boulder, Colorado-based institution. According to USA Today, which first reported the story, Vought stated, "The National Science Foundation will be breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country. A comprehensive review is underway & any vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location."
NCAR, established by the National Science Foundation in 1960, is widely regarded as one of the world’s preeminent Earth and atmospheric research institutions, as reported by The Washington Post. Over the decades, the center has provided critical research on atmospheric changes, global warming, air pollution, wildfires, extreme weather, and geomagnetic storms. Its scientists have played pivotal roles in improving weather forecasts, air quality predictions, and models of wildfire behavior, flooding, and drought risk—work that many say is essential to both national safety and international scientific progress.
The Trump administration’s decision to dismantle NCAR comes at a time when the United Nations and other world leaders have underscored the urgency of addressing climate change to prevent its most devastating impacts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the 10 hottest years since 1850 have all occurred in the past decade, with 2024 being the hottest year on record. Against this backdrop, the administration’s move has been widely perceived as a major setback for U.S. climate research and global scientific collaboration.
The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), NCAR’s parent organization, responded with caution. Antonio Busalacchi, president of UCAR, said in a statement on December 17, "We look forward to working with the administration to continue our focus on safeguarding the safety and prosperity of our nation." However, he also acknowledged that UCAR had no detailed information about the plan and was still seeking clarity on the path forward.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, expressed deep concern over the announcement. "Climate change is real, but the work of NCAR goes far beyond climate science," Polis stated. He emphasized that NCAR delivers vital data on severe weather events such as fires and floods, which help save lives and prevent property devastation. Polis warned, "If these cuts move forward we will lose our competitive advantage against foreign powers and adversaries in the pursuit of scientific discovery." He added that Colorado had not received any official information from the administration about the plan, describing the move as an attack on science.
The political undertones of the decision were evident, as a senior White House official took direct aim at Governor Polis in comments to NBC News. "Maybe if Colorado had a governor who actually wanted to work with President Trump, his constituents would be better served," the official said. The administration described NCAR as "the premier research stronghold for left-wing climate lunacy" and claimed that breaking it up would "eliminate Green New Scam research activities." The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between the White House and Colorado's Democratic lawmakers, as noted by The Washington Post.
The reaction from the scientific community was swift and resoundingly critical. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote on X, "It would decimate not only climate research, but also the kind of weather, wildfire, & disaster research underpinning half a century of progress in prediction, early warning, & increased resilience." Swain added, "NCAR has played a greater cumulative role in advancing weather prediction & atmospheric modeling than perhaps any other single entity in the world."
Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist and chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, was equally blunt. She said dismantling NCAR would be "like taking a sledgehammer to the keystone holding up our scientific understanding of the planet." Hayhoe highlighted that nearly everyone involved in climate and weather research, both in the U.S. and globally, has benefited from NCAR’s resources.
Andy Hazelton, an associate scientist at the University of Miami Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, called the move "extremely short-sighted," echoing a sentiment that rippled through research circles and beyond. The decision, many argue, threatens to undermine decades of investment in scientific infrastructure and expertise, just as the world faces mounting climate and weather-related challenges.
Political opposition to the move was fierce, particularly among Colorado’s congressional delegation. Representative Joe Neguse, whose district includes NCAR, described the decision as "a deeply dangerous & blatantly retaliatory action by the Trump administration." He vowed, "We will fight this reckless directive with every legal tool we have." According to NBC News, some Democrats have already begun exploring legal and legislative avenues to block or reverse the administration’s plan.
NCAR’s legacy in climate science is formidable. In 1990, its scientists contributed to the landmark first assessment from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which called for urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC, now comprising thousands of scientists across 195 member governments, continues to publish influential reports on the state of the planet’s climate—work that was recognized with the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, shared with former Vice President Al Gore.
The Trump administration’s move to break up NCAR is part of a broader pattern of curtailing climate research and canceling clean energy projects. President Trump has publicly called climate change a "hoax" and "a con job," dismissing the overwhelming scientific consensus about the Earth’s warming trajectory. For many in the scientific community, the latest announcement is seen as an extension of this skepticism, now with potentially far-reaching consequences for the nation’s ability to predict, prepare for, and mitigate climate-related disasters.
As the dust settles, the fate of NCAR—and the future of American climate research—remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the debate over the center’s role and the value of its work has become a flashpoint in the broader struggle over science, politics, and the country’s response to a rapidly changing climate. With scientists, lawmakers, and advocates vowing to fight the closure, the next chapter in this saga is sure to be closely watched, both in Colorado and around the world.
For now, the scientific community and the public are left grappling with the implications of a decision that, as many see it, risks eroding the nation’s scientific edge at a time when it is needed most.