Two senior officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been placed on administrative leave, raising concerns of retaliation linked to the Trump administration's 'Sharpiegate' scandal. Jeff Dillen, deputy general counsel, and Stephen Volz, head of the satellite division, led the investigation into whether NOAA administrators violated scientific integrity by altering hurricane forecasts to align with President Trump's claims.
The 'Sharpiegate' incident occurred in 2019 when Trump incorrectly stated that Hurricane Dorian would hit Alabama. NOAA officials later altered a National Hurricane Center map with a marker to justify the president's claim, prompting an investigation that found two officials had violated the agency's scientific integrity policy. Dillen and Volz were placed on leave just days before Neil Jacobs, the former NOAA chief at the centre of the scandal, faces a confirmation hearing to lead the agency again.
NOAA's communications director, Kim Doster, said Dillen was placed on leave pending a review of performance issues, while Volz's leave was 'on an unrelated matter'. However, staffers who spoke anonymously expressed scepticism, noting both were leads on the Sharpiegate investigation. Former NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad described the officials as 'brilliant, dedicated civil servants' and said he was 'stunned' by the performance-related claims.
The Trump administration has pursued an anti-science agenda at NOAA, including budget cuts, staff reductions, and policies that reduce scientific independence. A recent Department of Commerce policy makes it easier to fire probationary employees, effectively politicising many positions. Staffers fear the administration is undermining the agency's mission.
