Trump admin pulling nearly $4 million in funding from Princeton over climate-related programs

The Trump administration said Tuesday it would pull funding from Princeton University over climate-related programs that go “against” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) current program objectives.

 A release from the Department of Commerce, which houses the NOAA program, highlighted three of the school’s research awards that clash with the administration’s policies. 

The programs include the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System, Climate Risks and Interactive Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Predictability, and Advancing Prediction.

Under the direction of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the Department eliminated the first program from federal funding, citing its promotion of “exaggerated” and “implausible” climate threats.

“Its focus is on alarming climate scenarios fosters fear rather than rational, balanced discussion,” the release said of Princeton’s Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System.

The two other programs were pulled for research supporting the effects of global warming to include changes to precipitation patterns and sea-level rise amid a decrease in water availability. 

The funding cancellation comes a week after the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Defense Department suspended several dozen Princeton research grants.

Princeton University did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.