Sweeping job cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under Donald Trump’s administration are raising alarms among scientists, who warn that the move threatens hurricane forecasting, climate research, and public safety.
Among those laid off is climate scientist Tom Di Liberto, who had spent over a decade as a contractor before securing a full-time role at NOAA nearly two years ago. Last week, he was abruptly fired as part of a government purge that has already affected hundreds of NOAA employees.
“This was my dream job—everything I wanted to do with my life,” said Di Liberto, a 40-year-old father of two who worked on the El Niño–La Niña cycle. He was just days away from his two-year anniversary, which would have protected him from probationary worker layoffs.
US Government workers say the cuts are already disrupting critical operations, including satellite forecasting, which could delay natural disaster warnings.
“People won’t be evacuated on time from natural disasters,” said an NOAA engineer who wished to remain anonymous. “They could lose property—or their lives.”
The job cuts appear to be part of Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that describes NOAA as a “main driver of the climate change alarm industry” and calls for its dismantling. The plan also seeks to privatise the National Weather Service (NWS), forcing Americans to rely on commercial forecasting services.
Around 700 NOAA employees have already been fired, with reports suggesting that the total—including voluntary resignations—could reach 20% of the agency’s workforce.
NOAA is a global leader in climate monitoring, providing critical data used by scientists, policymakers, and international research institutions.
Sarah Cooley, former director of NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Programme, warned that while states and nonprofits might step in to fund some research, only the federal agency has the resources to fly planes into hurricanes and conduct large-scale oceanographic expeditions.
Experts say the layoffs will also undermine NOAA’s role as a clearinghouse for global climate data, making it harder for researchers to track rapid environmental changes.
As uncertainty looms, some scientists are rushing to download and preserve NOAA’s datasets, fearing their potential loss.
