World-leading climate centre takes Trump administration to court (May 8, 2026 )
May 8, 2026 — A legal battle has emerged in Colorado as the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) sues to prevent the Trump administration from dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The federal government intends to restructure the facility and redistribute its assets, such as its supercomputing center, claiming the institution promotes alarmist climate views. While the National Science Foundation argues that no final decisions have been reached, advocates for the center describe the reorganization as a rushed and politically motivated effort. Scientists warn that breaking up this "mothership" of climate science would result in the permanent loss of vital institutional knowledge and advanced weather modeling capabilities. The outcome of this federal court case will determine whether the center’s global research infrastructure remains intact or is handed over to various private and public entities. This conflict highlights a deep divide between the American scientific community and the executive branch over the future of atmospheric and climate research.
| https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01501-z |