(AFP) – A meteorologist who caved to political pressure during Donald Trump’s first administration to mislead the public about a hurricane forecast was nominated by the president Tuesday to once more lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Neil Jacobs, who previously helmed the renowned science agency from 2018 to 2021, was officially censured for his role in the infamous “Sharpiegate” scandal — one of the more bizarre episodes of Trump’s first term. Despite this, he has now been tapped to return to NOAA, which right-wing ideologues accuse of fueling the “climate change alarm industry.”
The controversy erupted in September 2019 when Trump, relying on outdated information, wrongly claimed that Hurricane Dorian was set to strike Alabama. The National Weather Service’s local office in Birmingham swiftly corrected him to prevent unnecessary panic. But Trump refused to back down, lashing out with angry tweets and even displaying a doctored forecast map — apparently amended with one of the black Sharpie pens he favors using — to bolster his false claim. NOAA later issued an unsigned statement backing Trump’s erroneous assertion, sparking widespread backlash from meteorologists. Subsequent official investigations castigated Jacobs and another official for their roles in the drama. A report from the National Academy of Public Administration stated that NOAA’s defense of Trump’s claim “was not based on science but appears to be largely driven by external influences.” It also warned that such actions corrode public trust in scientific institutions.
Jacobs’s new nomination has already drawn sharp criticism. “If the data used to help protect people and the economy becomes less reliable, the result will be very real harm to everyone, especially those on the frontlines of the climate crisis,” said Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists. She added that if Jacobs is confirmed, he must “commit to upholding NOAA’s scientific integrity policy and standing up to any attempt to dismantle NOAA or commercialize its forecasting work, which proponents of Project 2025 have called for.”
Developed by the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 calls for breaking up NOAA, which it says is one of the “main drivers of the climate change alarm industry.” It also seeks to fully privatize the functions of the National Weather Service so that forecasts are only provided by companies like AccuWeather. Although Trump distanced himself from the plan during his 2024 campaign, it appears to be gathering momentum now that he is back in office.
– Issam AHMED
© 2024 AFP
