OMB Director Vought Faces Investigation Over Plans to Privatize National Center for Atmospheric Research

Russ Vought serves as Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Trump. On March 9, Representative Joe Neguse called for an investigation into allegations that Office of Management and Budget officials proposed transferring parts of the National Center for Atmospheric Research space weather program to a private company, according to Boulder Reporting Lab. A whistleblower told Neguse's office about these discussions, which Neguse's team confirmed with an employee from the unnamed company. Neguse urged the National Science Foundation inspector general to probe potential conflicts of interest and regulatory issues, stating that neither the Office of Management and Budget nor the National Science Foundation has authority to dissolve or sell federal programs. This follows Vought's December statement that the Trump administration plans to break up the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which he called one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country, per Boulder Reporting Lab. Critics see this as part of a broader effort to dismantle the center, founded in 1960 with key labs in Boulder for atmospheric studies that aid weather forecasting and protect infrastructure. The National Science Foundation issued a Dear Colleague Letter on January 23 seeking public feedback on restructuring by March 13, but the whistleblower alleges negotiations already began, violating the process. Scientists and groups like the Union of Concerned Scientists, former National Center for Atmospheric Research directors, and the American Meteorological Society defend the center, arguing it saves lives through unique research access. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research board warned that fragmenting it would undermine cost-effective operations. Separately, earlier reports note Vought met with Trump on addressing federal fraud and briefly acted as Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director in 2025, leading to paused enforcement against credit bureaus, as detailed by ProPublica. These moves spark debate over federal research priorities and oversight. Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Please subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.