FACT SHEET THE STATE OF SCIENCE IN THE TRUMP ERA

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that the Trump administration censored federal scientists by restricting communications, creating a chilling environment, and limiting conference attendance. It recommends that Congress investigate these actions, expand the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, and pass the Scientific Integrity Act to protect science-based policymaking.

• The Trump administration restricted the communication of federal scientists by banning specific terms and requiring advance permissions for media contact. The Department of Energy (DOE) prohibited the use of terms like "climate change," "emissions reductions," and "Paris Agreement," while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) banned seven words in budget documents, including "evidence-based" and "science-based." Additionally, US Geological Survey (USGS) scientists were required to get advance permission before speaking to reporters.
• The administration created a 'chilling environment' for science through reprimands and political interference in research. This included a reprimand of the Joshua Tree National Park superintendent for a climate change Twitter thread, DOE influence over a National Energy Technology Laboratory report's design and language, and a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ban on using fetal tissue for research on diseases like HIV, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
• Federal agencies restricted scientists' ability to participate in professional conferences, leading to the cancellation of panels and symposia. The DOI capped USGS attendance at the 2017 American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference and required an "attendee justification" form for the 2018 AGU conference. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) prevented at least 14 archaeologists from attending the Society for American Archaeology, and the DOE blocked over two dozen scientists from the International Atomic Energy Agency conference.
• The Union of Concerned Scientists recommends that Congress protect scientific integrity by expanding the 2012 Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA) to include protections against retaliatory investigations and explicit protections for those reporting censorship. They also advocate for the passage of the Scientific Integrity Act and the restoration of the Office of Technology Assessment.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2019). FACT SHEET THE STATE OF SCIENCE IN THE TRUMP ERA. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2019/01/censorship-trump-2year-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. FACT SHEET THE STATE OF SCIENCE IN THE TRUMP ERA. 2019. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2019/01/censorship-trump-2year-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=FACT SHEET THE STATE OF SCIENCE IN THE TRUMP ERA |date=January 2019 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2019/01/censorship-trump-2year-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2019fact, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{FACT SHEET THE STATE OF SCIENCE IN THE TRUMP ERA}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2019}, month = jan, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2019/01/censorship-trump-2year-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }