President Trump’s Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought announced Tuesday on social media: “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.”
Note: The Heritage Foundation, where Vought served as a VP of its lobbying arm (Heritage Action) and contributed to its signature Project 2025 plan, often uses the phrase “climate alarmism” with claims that “the environment is getting better, not worse.”
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…
— Russ Vought (@russvought) December 17, 2025
Note: NCAR, which employs about 800-900 employees, is known for researching and developing tools and technologies to study the Earth’s atmosphere, which according to the research center, “allows us to better serve society by providing the predictive capabilities and applications needed by a range of stakeholders, from farmers to retailers, resource managers, and the military, to plan for the future.”
Democratic U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse (D-CO), who represents the state’s 2nd congressional district which includes the city of Boulder, responded to Vought’s announcement: “A deeply dangerous & blatantly retaliatory action by the Trump administration. NCAR is one of the most renowned scientific facilities in the WORLD — where scientists perform cutting-edge research everyday. We will fight this reckless directive with every legal tool we have.”
A deeply dangerous & blatantly retaliatory action by the Trump administration.
— Rep. Joe Neguse (@RepJoeNeguse) December 17, 2025
NCAR is one of the most renowned scientific facilities in the WORLD — where scientists perform cutting-edge research everyday.
We will fight this reckless directive with every legal tool we have. https://t.co/xFUodo5D40
Contradicting President Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change a “hoax,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. “Climate change is real, but the work of NCAR goes far beyond climate science.”
Polis emphasized the aspect of NCAR’s work geared toward keeping Americans safe — from both natural disasters and military enemies, writing: “NCAR delivers data around severe weather events like fires and floods that help our country save lives and property, and prevent devastation for families. If these cuts move forward we will lose our competitive advantage against foreign powers and adversaries in the pursuit of scientific discovery. ” Polis shared Neguse’s X post.
Climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain, who has more than 100K followers on X, said the change would be a “terrible blow to American science.”
Unbelievable. This would be a terrible blow to American science, writ large. 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. https://t.co/PAejJFzDho
— Dr. Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) December 17, 2025
Some on X favoring the administration’s move or at least wanting evidence as to why the closure is objectionable asked Neguse for details. As one wrote: “Rather than just huff and puff and blow smoke, why don’t you tell us how exactly this is dangerous? Tell us about these cutting edge technologies and how they are doing anything meaningful whatsoever.”
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