WASHINGTON, D.C. — Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick announced on Tuesday the termination of nearly $4 million in funds previously allocated to Princeton University under several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs. The decision comes following a detailed review by the Department of Commerce, aligning with President Trump’s pledge to streamline federal spending and focus resources on programs that support the administration’s priorities.
The funding cuts affect three cooperative agreements that were deemed inconsistent with NOAA’s current objectives and the administration’s vision. These include the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System I, a program scrutinized for promoting what the Department called “exaggerated and implausible climate threats” leading to “climate anxiety” among youth. Another affected program, Climate Risks & Interactive Sub-seasonal to Seasonal Predictability, was cut due to its focus on global warming’s impact on water availability, an area no longer prioritized by the administration.
The third program, Advancing Prediction: A Regional Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean Model, which addressed coastal inundation and other climate-related risks, was criticized for its high costs and overlap with other research efforts.
“These cooperative agreements do not align with the priorities of this administration,” Lutnick said in the announcement, adding that the decision will save taxpayers millions. The Department emphasized that funding will be discontinued as of June 30, 2025, enabling resources to be redirected toward what it described as more effective and practical initiatives.
The Commerce Department stated its commitment to ongoing reviews of financial assistance programs to reduce waste and streamline government spending. “This effort is consistent with President Trump’s promise to cut unnecessary costs and reduce the size of the federal government,” the Department concluded.
Princeton University’s programs are among the latest to face scrutiny as the administration continues its broader effort to realign federal resources with its stated goals of fiscal discipline and streamlined governance.
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