Trump renominates former NOAA chief tied to ‘Sharpiegate’
President Trump has tapped Neil Jacobs to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration again, despite Jacobs’ past ethical violations tied to the 2019 “Sharpiegate” controversy.
Christopher Flavelle reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- Jacobs, an atmospheric scientist, led NOAA in 2019 when Trump falsely claimed Hurricane Dorian would hit Alabama. Jacobs then backed a statement contradicting NOAA meteorologists.
- A federal investigation found Jacobs violated NOAA’s ethics code by bowing to political pressure.
- His renomination raises concerns about the Trump administration’s plans for NOAA, as GOP policy groups advocate dismantling parts of the agency.
Key quote:
“His last tenure showed the limits of good will against political bullying.”
— Craig McLean, former NOAA chief scientist
Why this matters:
In recent years, NOAA has faced increasing political pressure, with critics arguing that the agency’s focus on climate science comes at the expense of its other missions, like weather forecasting and fisheries management. Under the second Trump administration, concerns over the politicization of NOAA have intensified. For an agency whose data is integral to understanding the accelerating impacts of climate change, such politicization could have ripple effects across the scientific community and beyond.
Related: Derrick Z. Jackson: The biggest casualty of Trump’s Dorian deceit? Our common bonds
