The Trump administration has appointed Matthew W. Wielicki, a former geochemist and critic of mainstream climate science, to oversee the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which produces the National Climate Assessment—a report mandated by Congress that evaluates the impacts of climate change across the United States. Wielicki’s new role marks a significant shift in leadership for the federally coordinated effort, which involves 15 agencies and provides critical information used by policymakers, communities, and industries for planning.
Wielicki, who resigned from an assistant professorship at the University of Alabama in 2023, lacks formal training in climate science and has frequently expressed skepticism about the severity of climate change impacts. He has argued through social media, podcasts, and conservative media outlets that the mainstream scientific consensus exaggerates the negative effects of global warming and often ignores potential benefits. For example, Wielicki has dismissed claims about sea level rise leading to mass coastal displacement and has described climate policies as intrusive government overreach.
The previous 2023 climate assessment reported that human-driven global warming intensified wildfires in the western U.S., exacerbated droughts in the Great Plains, and increased the frequency and severity of heat waves nationwide. Under Trump, the administration disbanded much of the scientific team working on the next update to the assessment, prompting concern from many researchers about the future quality and reliability of the report.
Environmental advocates and climate scientists have voiced apprehension over Wielicki’s appointment. Rachel Cleetus, senior policy director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, emphasized the importance of unbiased, rigorous science in preparing for climate-related risks. She highlighted ongoing sea level rise and its impacts, particularly along the U.S. East Coast, as an area requiring urgent attention. Meade Krosby, a principal scientist at the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group and former contributor to the assessment, warned that the next report could contain misleading information that undermines community preparedness.
Conversely, some climate change skeptics have expressed optimism about Wielicki’s leadership, hoping for an assessment that relies less on what they consider “junk” climate models and more on empirical data. Myron Ebell, chairman of the American Lands Council and a prominent critic of mainstream climate science, anticipates the forthcoming report will reflect these principles.
The Trump White House justified the leadership change by asserting that the USGCRP had previously been influenced by political agendas rather than sound science and pledged to restore the program’s integrity. On social media, Energy Secretary Chris Wright described Wielicki as an “honest scientist who follows the data wherever it leads.”
In response to the dismissal of climate scientists from federal assessment efforts, two major scientific organizations—the American Geophysical Union and the American Meteorological Society—have committed to supporting portions of the research independently. They plan to publish peer-reviewed studies to inform future assessments regardless of federal involvement.
The National Climate Assessment remains a critical resource for understanding the impacts of climate change in the United States. Experts stress that producing a comprehensive and credible edition requires extensive collaboration and expertise beyond what one individual can achieve alone, underscoring the challenge Wielicki faces in guiding the program forward.