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Trump administration taps Matthew Wielicki to oversee National Climate Assessment

scienceJul 10, 2026261,487

The Trump administration has appointed Matthew M. Wielicki to lead the U.S. Global Change Research Program, which oversees the federal National Climate Assessment. Wielicki is a former geochemist at the University of Alabama who critics say has no formal training in climate science and has characterized mainstream climate warnings as alarmist. Politico and the New York Times reported the appointment and noted the administration has shrunk the office responsible for producing the National Climate Assessment. Critics named in coverage called Wielicki unqualified, accused him of spreading debunked claims and attacking climate scientists, and said he has used large language models to fabricate supporting sources. Advocacy outlets and observers warned that placing a climate skeptic in charge could jeopardize the assessment’s integrity and prompt Congressional scrutiny over funding for the program. Supporters of the previous assessments note five prior National Climate Assessments were prepared by the nation’s top scientists and relied on for planning, raising concern that the sixth assessment could be sidelined if its findings are seen as politicized.

Katharine Hayhoe
@katharinehayhoe.com

It is not headed by a “climate critic“. It is headed by someone who is unqualified in this area, who cannot offer valid critiques but instead shares debunked claims, and who regularly attacks climate scientists. Like me.

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