How I Paid the Price for Exposing ‘Sharpiegate’ – A Call for Scientists to Speak Out

Do you remember “Sharpiegate”? In September 2019, President Trump seemed to change the path of Hurricane Dorian with a marker on a map, causing quite a stir. Craig McLean, who was the acting chief scientist at NOAA, faced serious consequences for speaking out against this incident.

This week, Trump nominated Neil Jacobs, who was also involved in “Sharpiegate,” to lead NOAA. McLean shares his thoughts on what we can expect if Trump returns to the presidency.

Hurricane Dorian was devastating, causing destruction across the Caribbean and making its way toward Florida. The National Weather Service correctly predicted the storm would take a different path and would not affect Alabama, although Trump tweeted a warning that it would. This led to confusion and concern in Alabama, with officials questioning forecasters who reassured them they were safe.

The situation escalated when NOAA issued a statement contradicting their own forecasters, siding with Trump instead. McLean was shocked to see the press release and felt it undermined the integrity of the agency.

McLean felt compelled to address the issue, writing a memo pointing out the political nature of the NOAA statement. He later requested political appointees to acknowledge their understanding of the agency’s scientific integrity policies—a move that got him dismissed from his position.

This kind of political pressure wasn’t new but felt extreme under Trump. The emphasis on bending the rules to suit policy over scientific fact turned the agency’s mission upside down.

Instead of finding diverse scientific opinions as requested, McLean knew he had to stick to the law and uphold NOAA’s responsibilities. His approach was to ensure that NOAA continued to provide accurate and reliable data, even when faced with unusual directives.

As the Trump administration begins its second term, there are questions about how they will deal with federal employees and the rules that govern them. Will senior officials challenge unlawful requests from political leaders?

This administration seems to be more aggressive than before, not just making policy changes but aiming to reduce the agency’s size and capabilities. This approach could seriously impact NOAA’s ability to fulfill its essential tasks.

Understanding NOAA’s Role is crucial. Every year, NOAA answers fundamental questions about our environment: How many fish are in the ocean? What will tomorrow’s weather be? How are climate trends shaping our future? How can we protect our coasts from worsening storms? These services are vital for everyone, even if we don’t always realize it.

Looking ahead, we may face severe consequences if we ignore the importance of these questions. McLean worries for future generations who will inherit a world affected by climate change. Without NOAA’s guidance, we won’t know the full extent of these changes or how quickly they are happening.