Climate Politics
Trump Taps ‘Sharpiegate’ Scientist to Lead US Weather Agency
- Scientist Neil Jacobs has been nominated to head NOAA
- Jacobs was cited for misconduct after hurricane controversy
Donald Trump speaks to members of the media about Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
Photographer: Tom Brenner/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The Trump administration has tapped Neil Jacobs, a scientist cited for misconduct related to the “Sharpiegate” hurricane forecasting controversy, to lead the agency that oversees US government weather predictions and climate research.
Jacobs’ nomination as head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was formally submitted to Congress on Monday. As acting administrator of NOAA in 2019, he reprimanded employees for contradicting President Donald Trump’s inaccurate claim that a hurricane would strike Alabama. The agency later said Jacobs’ actions violated its code of ethics.