Trump’s draft budget eviscerates weather and climate tracking and research

By Ella Nilsen, CNN

(CNN) — The Trump administration plans to eliminate the research arm of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, close all weather and climate labs and eviscerate its budget along with several other NOAA offices, according to internal documents obtained by CNN.

The move would devastate weather and climate research even as weather is becoming more erratic and extreme. It could cripple the US industries — including agriculture — that depend on free, accurate weather and climate data and expert analysis. It would also halt research on deadly weather, including severe storms and tornadoes.

A source familiar with the plan told CNN that while the draft budget for fiscal year 2026 will have to be approved by Congress, it is also being distributed to the agency now as guidance on how to slash its current operating budget for the agency, which means the cuts could be implemented this year.

The budget proposal eliminates NOAA’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research office and stops funding regional climate data, climate competitive research or sea grant programs. Overall, it cuts the funding for programs currently under the research office by roughly 75%.

The proposed budget also severely defunds other key offices of NOAA, such as the National Ocean Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service, and transfers most of the fisheries service functions to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which sits under the Interior Department. (NOAA currently is housed within the US Commerce Department).

The internal Trump administration document says the National Marine Fisheries Service “should prioritize permitting” to “unleash American energy” from activities like offshore oil drilling.

This is a developing story and it will be updated.

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CNN’s Mary Gilbert, Monica Garrett and Taylor Ward contributed to this report.