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source_url: https://www.kalw.org/show/your-call/2026-06-15/trump-administrations-assault-on-climate-science-and-ocean-research
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On this edition of Your Call's One Planet series, former NOAA chief scientist Craig McLean discusses the Trump administration's assault on science and ocean research.
Earlier this month, the administration announced plans to dismantle a vast and critical $368 million ocean-floor observation network that provides scientists with vital data on ocean health including marine ecosystems, ocean currents, and climate change for a decade.
Craig McLean told The New York Times that dismantling the system would "push the United States back yet again into a rear seat in global scientific leadership."
Guest:
[Craig McLean](https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-mclean-b377a563/), champion of ocean exploration and scientific integrity, former assistant administrator and chief scientist of [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](https://www.noaa.gov/) Research, and former captain of NOAA Research ships,
Resources:
USA Today: [NOAA forecast this decades ago. We have to adapt to survive it. | Opinion](https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2026/03/17/noaa-weather-forecasts-climate-science-doge-cuts/88984244007/)
The New York Times:[ NOAA Officially Declares El Niño Is Here and Flashing Danger Signs](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/climate/el-nino-noaa.html)
NRDC: [White House Watch: Tracking Attacks on Our Environment & Health](https://www.nrdc.org/resources/white-house-watch-tracking-attacks-our-environment-health)
The Guardian: [Scientists warn Trump plan to axe US ocean monitoring system will leave world ‘flying blind’](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/05/trump-plan-ocean-monitoring-system-concern-scientists)