Two senior officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were placed on administrative leave on Friday, sparking speculation of retaliation linked to the 2019 'Sharpiegate' incident. Jeff Dillen, deputy general counsel, and Stephen Volz, head of the satellites division, led the investigation into whether agency administrators altered a hurricane forecast to match statements made by President Donald Trump.
The leave comes days before Neil Jacobs, former NOAA chief at the centre of the scandal, faces a confirmation hearing to lead the agency again. In 2019, Trump incorrectly claimed Hurricane Dorian would hit Alabama, and an altered map using a marker was used to justify the claim. An investigation in June 2020 found Jacobs and another official violated the agency's scientific integrity policy by succumbing to political pressure.
NOAA disputed the timing, saying Dillen's leave was due to performance issues and Volz's was 'on an unrelated matter'. However, staffers expressed scepticism, with one calling it 'laughable' to suggest the situations were separate. Former NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad described both officials as 'brilliant, dedicated civil servants' and said he was 'stunned' by the performance-related claims.
The Trump administration has faced criticism for undermining NOAA's scientific mission through budget cuts, staff reductions, and policies that increase political control over scientific communications. A recent Department of Commerce policy allows political appointees to approve the conversion of probationary employees to permanent hires, raising concerns about politicising the workforce.
