Trump Administration Fires 880 NOAA Employees, Risking Climate and Weather Mission
In a significant move to reduce the size of the federal government, the Trump administration has fired over 880 employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which oversees critical weather and climate research. The cuts, announced Thursday by Senator Maria Cantwell, the ranking member of the Senate Committee overseeing NOAA, are part of a broader plan to
shrink the federal workforce. The National Weather Service (NWS) and its vast observational system, which provides free data to commercial forecasters, were particularly impacted.
Further layoffs are expected as early as Friday, according to sources familiar with the situation. However, NWS spokesperson Susan Buchanan declined to confirm the exact number or scope of the layoffs, stating that the agency does not discuss personnel matters publicly. “NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources to serve the American public,” Buchanan said in an email.
Before the cuts, NOAA employed approximately 12,000 workers, including more than 6,700 scientists and engineers. Rick Spinrad, the oceanographer who led NOAA under the Biden administration, warned that these layoffs could have severe consequences. “The mission will suffer,” he said, emphasizing that NOAA was already understaffed and these cuts would cause lasting damage, potentially affecting public safety, property, and economic development.
NOAA workers expressed concern over the layoffs, with one stating, “The majority of probationary employees in my office have been with the agency for 10+ years... If we lose them, we’re losing not just the world-class work they do but also decades of expertise.” Another employee added, “The laid-off workers are dedicated, hard-working civil servants who came to NOAA to help protect lives and keep our blue planet healthy.”
Some conservative critics have called for the dissolution of NOAA, proposing that its responsibilities and assets be distributed across other federal departments. However, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified at his confirmation hearing in January that he supports keeping NOAA intact despite the ongoing layoffs.
Judge Orders Rescinding of Memo and Email Directing Federal Probationary Employee Layoffs
A federal judge, William Alsup, has ruled that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must rescind a memo and an email issued in January and February that instructed federal agencies to identify and terminate probationary employees deemed "non-mission-critical." Alsup's ruling comes amid ongoing mass layoffs of probationary federal workers, including a significant reduction in staff at the Department of Defense, which is expected to fire 5,400 employees on Friday.
Alsup stated that while he could not directly stop the Defense Department or other agencies from proceeding with the layoffs, he expressed concern over the widespread harm the firings could cause, particularly to national parks, scientific research, and services for veterans. “Probationary employees are the lifeblood of our government,” Alsup remarked, emphasizing their role in renewing the federal workforce.
The ruling temporarily halts the layoffs while Alsup examines a legal challenge brought by several unions and nonprofit groups. The plaintiffs include the American Federation of Government Employees and other organizations advocating for veterans' services and national park conservation. They argue that OPM overstepped its authority by issuing formal rules about employee terminations without following a lengthy administrative process.
The Trump administration contended that the OPM memo and email were only requests for agencies to review their probationary employees and not directives to fire anyone. However, Alsup found it unlikely that so many agencies independently decided to lay off a significant portion of their staff.
Alsup's ruling requires OPM to notify the Defense Department and other affected agencies, such as the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management, that the directives regarding probationary employees are invalid. This ruling addresses concerns that further layoffs would harm the organizations involved in the lawsuit.
The decision comes amidst broader efforts by the Trump administration to reshape the federal workforce. A second wave of mass layoffs targeting career employees began this week, and a White House memo issued Wednesday instructed agencies to submit plans for a "significant reduction" in staffing by March 13. Unions have filed several lawsuits challenging these actions, though they have faced procedural challenges in their efforts.
References
- Bloomberg. (2025, February 28). At least 880 workers fired at the US weather agency. CNBCTV18. https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/at-least-880-workers-fired-at-the-us-weather-agency-19566018.htm
- Home | Bureau of Land Management. (2025, February 22). Bureau of Land Management. https://www.blm.gov/
- Howard Lutnick. (n.d.). U.S. Department of Commerce. https://www.commerce.gov/about/leadership/howard-lutnick
- https://x.com/NOAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. (n.d.-a). https://x.com/NOAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- https://x.com/NOAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor. (n.d.-b). https://x.com/NOAA?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
- Latest memos. (n.d.). U.S. Office of Personnel Management. https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/latest-memos/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). https://www.noaa.gov/
- Office of Small Business Programs. (n.d.). Military departments and defense agencies. https://business.defense.gov/Work-with-us/Military-Departments-and-Defense-Agencies/
- Reuters, & Reuters. (2025, February 28). US judge halts Trump administration’s calls for mass firings by agencies. Deccan Herald. https://www.deccanherald.com/world/us-judge-halts-trump-administrations-calls-for-mass-firings-by-agencies-3425602
- Sainato, M. (2025, February 27). White House demands agencies identify hundreds of thousands of potential layoffs. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/27/trump-federal-worker-layoffs-memo
- Susan K. Buchanan, Ph.D. - NIDDK. (n.d.). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-niddk/staff-directory/biography/buchanan-susan
