Washington: Trump orders review of National Academy climate guidance
PUBLISHED Jul 20, 2026, 4:12 PM ET
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In Washington, President Donald Trump has directed federal suspension and debarment officials to conduct a comprehensive review of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), focusing on its role in producing the Fourth Edition of the "Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence." Announced on his Truth Social platform, the order targets what the administration calls "fraudulent, biased and misleading" climate-related content intended for federal judges. The manual, jointly produced with the Federal Judicial Center and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, is a longstanding judicial resource. Its latest edition, released late last year, added a substantial new chapter explaining climate science for use in complex environmental litigation.
By Daniel Hayes | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- 1994: First judicial scientific evidence manual published
- 2009: Previous edition of reference manual released
- Late last year: Fourth Edition manual published
- Late last year: New climate science chapter introduced
- Earlier this year: Manual begins guiding federal judges
- Recently: Trump criticizes climate guidance publicly
- Today: Trump orders NAS federal review
- Next months: Federal officials assess possible debarment
News Intelligence
- This review could impact how climate science is used in court. It might affect environmental lawsuits and regulations. If you're concerned about climate change, keep an eye on the review's outcome.
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