The White House has announced plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), one of the United States’ most prominent climate and weather research institutions, reshaping the national scientific landscape and igniting strong reactions from experts, local officials and members of Congress.

The move was announced by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, who characterised the centre in Boulder, Colorado, as a source of what the administration calls “climate alarmism,” and indicated that functions deemed “vital,” such as weather research and forecasting, would be shifted to other entities or locations during a comprehensive review.

Founded in 1960 and funded principally by the National Science Foundation, NCAR has served for more than six decades as a cornerstone of U.S. atmospheric science, providing essential data, models and tools for understanding climate dynamics, severe weather forecasting, air quality and long-term climate projections.

Its computational infrastructure and collaborative research consortium involving more than one hundred universities have been credited with advances that underpin national and international climate assessments and disaster preparedness efforts.

Critics fear that fragmenting the centre’s work could slow scientific progress, weaken forecasting capabilities and diminish the nation’s ability to prepare for extreme weather events and other climate-related risks.

Scientific organisations and leaders have urged transparency and consultation as details of the plan remain unclear.

Antonio Busalacchi, president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, which manages NCAR, warned that dismantling a facility with such extensive collaborative networks and infrastructure could undercut U.S. leadership in climate research.

State leaders, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis, echoed concerns that eroding the centre’s capabilities might compromise public safety by reducing the quality of forecasts for droughts, floods and severe storms.

Many scientists emphasise that weather prediction and climate research are deeply interconnected, and that dispersing critical functions could jeopardise the very capabilities the administration plans to preserve elsewhere.

The announcement comes amid broader policy shifts under the Trump administration involving climate and environmental research priorities, including proposed budget cuts to key agencies and restructuring of federal science programmes.

Supporters of the plan argue it reflects a reassessment of federal research focus and funding, while opponents warn of long-term consequences for scientific capacity and disaster resilience.

As the process unfolds, stakeholders across government, academia and the scientific community are preparing for debates about how best to balance national research infrastructure, climate science and public safety in an era of evolving environmental challenges.