Republican Leaders Push Trump Administration to Cut Funding for ‘Woke’ National Academies

A group of Republican House members has called on the Trump administration to consider halting federal funding for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. They claim the organization, which operates under a congressional charter, is promoting a “leftist” agenda.

Led by Representative Eric Burlison from Missouri, these lawmakers expressed concerns over a section on climate change in the National Academies’ recent “Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence.” This manual serves as a resource for judges evaluating scientific and statistical evidence during trials.

The lawmakers addressed a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, stating that the climate science chapter is “highly politicized” and appears designed to influence judicial decisions in significant climate court cases.

The Republican representatives urged Duffy and Vought to investigate whether the National Academies are violating President Trump’s directive for “Restoring Gold Standard Science” across federal agencies, as well as complying with federal grant rules that mandate disclosure of any “significant financial interest” that might impact scientific research.

According to the lawmakers, the climate chapter in question indicates that the National Academies have succumbed to “ideological capture,” influenced by a partisan and special interest-driven agenda that prioritizes left-leaning narratives over factual accuracy.

They also criticized the lack of a comprehensive independent peer review from scientists with diverse perspectives on climate science. The chapter, they pointed out, credits only three contributors, all affiliated with what they described as Columbia University’s controversial climate science programs.

The academics behind the chapter have had research funded “by the very same groups behind many climate lawsuits,” according to the lawmakers, demonstrating “clear conflicts of interest.” 

The letter also points to funding the National Academies has reportedly received from “left-wing climate advocacy groups such as the ClimateWorks Foundation and the [George] Soros-backed Tides Foundation.” 

“NASEM has also made its own donations to climate change advocacy groups,” the missive continued.

Burlison and his colleagues noted that a Biden-era Department of Transportation grant provided $84 million in taxpayer funding to the National Academies in 2024.

They want the Trump administration to consider pulling the federal grant. 

“The American people are fed up with taxpayer dollars being used to push political agendas,” Burlison said in a statement. “When government-funded institutions blur the line between research and advocacy, it undermines trust and demands accountability.”

Additional signers of the letter included Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.).

The White House Office of Management and Budget, Department of Transportation and National Academies did not immediately respond to The Post’s requests for comment.