Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought confirmed the Trump administration will dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado.
In a Tuesday night post on X, Vought said the National Science Foundation "will be breaking up" NCAR in Boulder, calling the federally funded center "one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country."
He added that a "comprehensive review is underway" and that "vital activities such as weather research will be moved to another entity or location."
The move, first reported by USA Today, is the latest flashpoint in the Trump administration's drive to rein in taxpayer-funded advocacy masquerading as science.
NCAR, founded in 1960, is widely viewed in academic circles as a premier atmospheric research hub, hosting major modeling, supercomputing, and research support used by universities and scientists worldwide, The Washington Post reported.
NCAR is an NSF-sponsored federally funded research and development center managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, according to NSF budget materials.
Administration officials argue the problem is not basic meteorology but the mission creep that has turned government science into a political cudgel, with research outputs and communications, they say, increasingly tailored to justify sweeping regulations, subsidies, and "Green New Deal"-style spending.
Democrat officials and many scientists blasted the decision as an attack on research capacity and public safety.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, issued a statement warning that NCAR data supports preparedness for disasters such as fires and floods, and argued the move would weaken U.S. competitiveness.
UCAR President Antonio Busalacchi also said publicly that dismantling NCAR would set back the nation's ability to "predict, prepare for, and respond to severe weather and other natural disasters," the Post reported.
The NCAR decision is also landing in a broader climate-research shakeup.
Trump budget proposals and restructuring discussions targeting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research arm earlier this year drew criticism from critics, who said the cuts would cause a "slow and torturous" loss to weather forecasting, leaving the U.S. unaware of potential dangers.
The administration insists "vital" NCAR functions will be relocated rather than eliminated, setting up a high-stakes fight over what counts as "science," what counts as "advocacy," and who should decide.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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