THE WAR
ON SCIENCE
How the Trump Administration is Dismantling Human Health, the Earth, and Wildlife
SOURCE: Senate PSI Report · thetrumptracker.com · CDC · NIH · EPA · FDA Public Records
The harms from the Trump Administration's cuts and firings will accumulate for years, indeed for decades, to come: lives that might have been saved by studies the Administration defunded; the loss of scientific innovation as scientists flee to countries where their work is not censored.— Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, September 9, 2025
The Trump administration's assault on science is not a series of isolated decisions. It is a systematic campaign to dismantle the institutions that produce inconvenient knowledge. The strategy follows a clear sequence: silence the scientists, purge the experts, install loyalists, and then use the resulting vacuum to claim the science was never settled in the first place.
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations documented 57 attacks on scientific integrity in just the first eight months. Since then, the pace has accelerated. Over 20,500 scientists and health workers have been fired or forced out. The United States lost its measles elimination status for the first time in decades. Whooping cough cases surged tenfold. The EPA revoked the legal foundation for all federal climate regulations. And the CDC, under an HHS Secretary whom 77 Nobel laureates warned was "one of the most dangerous individuals ever considered for a Cabinet position," removed six previously recommended childhood vaccines without scientific review.
What follows is the documented record, organized chronologically and by category. Every number is sourced. Every scientist is real. Every child who contracts a preventable disease is a consequence of these documented decisions.
Silencing
the Scientists
The first step in destroying inconvenient science: muzzle the scientists who produce it.
The Great
Purge
Fire every expert who won't compromise their integrity. Install loyalists who will.
"This isn't deregulation. This is denial of science itself.
— Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Administrator — On the revocation of the Endangerment Finding, February 2026
Destroying
the Planet
Eliminating the legal foundations of environmental protection — one signature at a time.
A Complete
Chronology Jan 2025 — Mar 2026 · 35 Events
Day One: WHO Withdrawal, Paris Climate Exit, Wind Energy Freeze, 17 Watchdogs Fired
Executive orders pulled the US from the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement, paused all wind energy permitting, and fired 17 independent Inspectors General — removing every federal government watchdog in a single day.
Communications Blackout — CDC Misses Weekly Report for First Time in History
All federal health communications paused. CDC failed to issue its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report — never missed in agency history. Critical bird flu and drug overdose death data withheld from the public.
Federal Grant Freeze Attempted, EPA Advisory Boards Fired, Agency Databases Purged
Jan 27: Attempted to freeze all federal grant funding. Jan 28: All EPA scientific advisory board members fired. Jan 29: Agency databases purged — pregnancy nutrition info and HIV prevention resources deleted. Jan 31: CDC researchers banned from publishing in any scientific journal; existing submissions forced to retract.
USAID Cuts Abandon Dozens of Clinical Trial Patients Mid-Treatment
Patients receiving experimental drugs and medical devices were abruptly cut off from the researchers monitoring them. Studies included malaria treatment for children under 5 and tuberculosis treatment for children and teens. No transition plan provided.
Thousands Fired at CDC, FDA, NIH — 10% of National Science Foundation Staff Cut
Mass firings across all major health and science agencies, including the first wave of CDC, FDA, and NIH terminations. The National Science Foundation loses 10% of its workforce in a single action.
880 NOAA Employees Fired in One Day — Including Hurricane Center and Storm Prediction Center Staff
7.3% of NOAA's total workforce terminated overnight, including staff at the National Hurricane Center and Storm Prediction Center. 25% of the NOAA Environmental Modeling Center let go. Weather balloon launches immediately curtailed. A federal judge later ruled the firings unlawful — but the damage was done.
694 NIH Research Grants Cancelled — $2.4 Billion in Science Destroyed
Cancer treatment, Alzheimer's disease, infectious diseases, rare diseases, and active clinical trials terminated. Patients in mid-trial cut off from monitoring. Some of these studies had run for decades.
Measles Forecast Suppressed During Worst Outbreak in Decades
CDC leaders ordered staff not to release a report showing high outbreak risk in areas with lagging vaccination rates. The public was deliberately kept in the dark during an escalating public health emergency.
Discredited Researcher Hired to Lead Vaccine-Autism Study
David Geier — disciplined for practicing medicine without a license in Maryland — hired to lead HHS efforts to find 'the cause' of autism. His vaccine-autism studies were retracted and condemned as methodologically unsound by the scientific community.
$11.4 Billion in Public Health Grants Rescinded
State and local health departments lose COVID-19 response, testing, and vaccination funding overnight. Simultaneously, bird flu vaccine contracts with Moderna were cancelled mid-active outbreak.
Top FDA Vaccine Regulator Resigns — 'Subservient Confirmation of Misinformation'
Dr. Peter Marks, director of FDA's Center for Biologics, resigns stating Kennedy demanded 'subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies' and attempted to edit the vaccine safety database.
10,000 HHS Employees Fired in a Single Day
2,473 from CDC. 2,519 from FDA. 1,312 from NIH. Lead Poisoning Prevention Program eliminated while Milwaukee schools close for lead contamination. The largest single-day mass firing in HHS history.
Top NIH Researcher Resigns — Ultra-Processed Food Science Suppressed
Dr. Kevin Hall resigns after NIH leadership suppresses his research on ultra-processed foods, saying the agency made him feel he could no longer 'freely conduct unbiased science.'
Migratory Bird Protections Stripped — Millions of Birds Now Legally Killed
Interior Department reinstates rule eliminating penalties for 'incidental' bird deaths from oil drilling, power lines, and open waste pits. Decades of corporate safeguards legally erased.
All 17 Vaccine Advisory Committee Members Fired and Replaced with Skeptics
First mass firing of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in history. Replaced with members who have records of expressing unfounded doubts about vaccine safety.
US Loses Measles Elimination Status — First Time in Decades
WHO revokes US measles elimination status after 2,855 cases — the highest in 33 years. Four deaths. The direct, documented consequence of dismantling vaccine guidance and firing every expert who maintained it.
FDA's Lead Gene Therapy Reviewer Escorted Out — No Explanation Given
Dr. Nicole Verdun, FDA's lead reviewer of cell and gene therapies, placed on administrative leave and escorted from the building. HHS stated FDA needed staff 'aligned' with the administration.
Department of Defense Stops Sharing Weather Data with Scientists
The Pentagon announces it will no longer provide critical weather data to NOAA staff and civilian scientists — further degrading the atmospheric observation network that underpins weather forecasting, hurricane tracking, and crop planning.
59 Million Acres of Protected National Forest Opened to Logging
Agriculture Secretary Rollins announces plans to repeal the Clinton-era Roadless Rule — which had protected 59 million acres of National Forest from road construction, logging, and industrial extraction for over two decades.
Texas Flooding Kills 100+ — NOAA Staffing Cuts Directly Implicated
Catastrophic flash flooding across six Central Texas counties became the deadliest inland US flooding event in nearly 50 years. The Austin/San Antonio NOAA forecasting office had recently lost its Warning Coordination Meteorologist to DOGE layoffs.
EPA Office of Research and Development Dissolved
The EPA's entire research arm — responsible for the science underpinning air quality standards, water safety regulations, and chemical risk assessments — is dissolved.
$500 Million in mRNA Vaccine Research Abandoned — 22 Studies Defunded
BARDA terminates 22 contracts for mRNA vaccine development across universities and biotech firms. Public health experts call it a direct threat to national security.
Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Fired — First in 140-Year History
Dr. Erika McEntarfer fired immediately after a weak jobs report. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers: 'Way beyond anything Richard Nixon ever did.'
CDC Director Fired; Three Senior Officials Resign in Protest
CDC Director Susan Monarez fired after refusing Kennedy's demands to change vaccine policy and fire top CDC staff. Three other senior officials resign the same day in protest.
Whooping Cough Surges to 28,783 Cases — 10× Prior Year Levels
Direct, documented consequence of vaccine recommendation changes and the destruction of public health infrastructure. Infants — too young to be fully vaccinated — are the most vulnerable.
CDC Shifts COVID Vaccine to Individual Decision-Making, Recommends Standalone Chickenpox Vaccination
CDC adopted ACIP recommendations shifting COVID-19 vaccines from universal recommendation to individual decision-making. Separately recommended standalone chickenpox vaccination for toddlers.
Endangered Species Act Protections Stripped — Wolves, Grizzlies, Monarchs, Manatees at Risk
Gray wolves delisted nationwide. Grizzly bears delisted in Greater Yellowstone. Florida manatee, Monarch butterfly, California spotted owl, and Greater sage-grouse left unprotected.
October Jobs Report Cancelled — First Time in 900+ Months Employment Data Not Collected
October 2025 is now permanently missing from US employment records due to the 43-day government shutdown.
Presidential Memorandum Orders Review of Childhood Vaccination Schedule
Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum directing HHS and CDC to review the childhood vaccination schedule — setting the stage for the January 2026 overhaul.
CDC Guts Childhood Vaccine Schedule — 6 Vaccines Removed from Universal Recommendation
CDC Acting Director overhauled the childhood immunization schedule from 18 to 11 universally recommended diseases. Removed from universal recommendation: rotavirus, flu, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, and COVID. No scientific review. No advisory committee vote — because all 17 advisors were fired in June 2025.
Climate Science and Native American History Erased from National Parks
National Park Service ordered to remove climate change exhibits, environmental impact displays, and Indigenous history panels from visitor centers nationwide.
$600 Million in HIV and STD Prevention Funding Cancelled — Targeting Democratic States
CDC cancels $600M in grants to California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. Funding covered testing, treatment, PrEP access, and STD surveillance.
EPA Revokes Endangerment Finding — Legal Basis for ALL Climate Regulation Eliminated
Called 'the largest deregulatory action in American history.' Eliminates all federal authority to regulate greenhouse gases. 18 states file lawsuits immediately.
Defense Production Act — Wartime Law Invoked to Mandate Cancer-Linked Pesticide
Wartime powers invoked to mandate domestic production of glyphosate, a WHO-classified probable carcinogen. Bayer donated $1M to Trump's inauguration.
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks CDC Vaccine Schedule Changes
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the January 2026 changes to the childhood immunization schedule, citing the lack of scientific review process and the dismissal of all expert advisors.
Forest Service Dismantled — HQ to Utah, All 10 Regional Offices Shuttered, 50+ Research Facilities Destroyed
The largest attack on the Forest Service in its 121-year history. HQ relocated to Salt Lake City — the state suing to seize 18.5M acres of public land. All 10 regional offices shuttered. 50+ research facilities across 31 states consolidated to a single location. Career professionals replaced by 15 political 'state directors.' Logging executive Tom Schultz installed as chief. BLM precedent: 87% attrition when positions were ordered relocated — only 3 of 328 people actually moved. Decades of irreplaceable ecological research destroyed to clear the way for mandatory logging quotas.
CDC COVID Vaccine Study Blocked — Shows 55% Hospitalization Reduction, Suppressed by RFK's Appointee
A scientifically vetted CDC study found COVID vaccines cut hospitalizations by 55%. Bhattacharya blocked publication claiming 'methodology concerns' — the exact same methodology was used for a flu study published one week earlier without objection. CDC scientists spoke anonymously for fear of retaliation.
They Warned Us.
We Were Ignored.
Before the Senate confirmed RFK Jr., an unprecedented coalition issued dire warnings. Every single one has come true.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one of the most dangerous individuals ever considered for a Cabinet position. His consistent denial of safe, effective vaccines would put American lives at risk.
December 10, 2024
Kennedy was not interested in transparency but rather 'subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.' I refused when the Secretary sought to 'edit' the vaccine safety database.
Former FDA Director of Biologics
Forced to resign March 28, 2025
NIH leadership made me feel I could no longer freely conduct unbiased science.
NIH's Top Ultra-Processed Foods Researcher
Resigned April 16, 2025
Kennedy's appointment would have 'catastrophic and irreversible consequences' for disease prevention and pandemic preparedness.
Joint Warning Letter, December 2024
This isn't deregulation. This is denial of science itself.
Former EPA Administrator
On the Endangerment Finding Revocation, Feb 2026
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services is a clear and present danger to the nation's health.
Open Letter, December 2024
The Damage
Already Done
Children Dying of Preventable Disease
4 deaths from measles. Whooping cough infections surged 900% to 28,783 cases — infants are most vulnerable. Diseases eliminated by vaccines are returning.
Clinical Trial Patients Abandoned
Patients taking experimental drugs or using new medical devices were cut off from researchers monitoring them mid-trial. Studies included malaria treatment for children under 5.
HIV Epidemic Reversed
$600 million in HIV/STD prevention funding cut from states with the highest HIV-positive populations. Decades of progress on prevention, testing, and PrEP access are being erased.
Cancer Research Destroyed
$2.4 billion in NIH cancer grants cancelled. NIH budget cut by 40% proposed. Ongoing studies halted. The next breakthrough treatment may never be discovered.
Pandemic Preparedness Gutted
Bird flu vaccine cancelled mid-outbreak. 29+ antiviral grants for Ebola, dengue, and chikungunya terminated. mRNA platform funding cut. The US is unprepared for the next pandemic.
Climate Protection Legally Eliminated
The Endangerment Finding revocation removes ALL federal authority to regulate greenhouse gases — dismantling decades of environmental law. Unchecked pollution, for years to come.
Scientific Talent Fleeing America
Scientists are accepting positions in Canada, Europe, and Asia. The next generation of American innovation is being permanently displaced.
A Generation Growing Up Distrusting Science
When the government calls science 'ideology' and erases data from national parks and textbooks, it erodes public trust in fact itself — with consequences that outlast any administration.
Extinction
by Policy
Fifty years of wildlife protection — dismantled in one term. The Endangered Species Act is under its most coordinated assault in history.
Blinding
America
NOAA tracks hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, droughts, and the ocean systems that feed the planet. Trump is destroying it — while weather grows more extreme.
The Scientists
Are Screaming
A nationwide survey of nearly 1,400 ecologists, marine biologists, and conservation scientists reveals what's happening inside American science right now.
Every number above is sourced. Every scientist is real. Every child who gets measles is preventable. This is not politics — this is documented harm.