Following President Donald Trump's second inauguration and the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on January 20, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) faced sweeping cuts, including the abrupt termination of roughly 880 employees (over 7% of its staff) on February 27, 2025. This action, which Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup later ruled was unauthorized, hit critical units like the National Hurricane Center and the Environmental Modeling Center, disrupting operations such as weather balloon launches and taking databases offline. The firings drew widespread backlash, including a letter from 113 members of Congress and protests in Boulder and Norman, while scientists like Daniel Swain warned that private weather apps rely on NOAA's taxpayer-funded data. Additionally, the National Weather Service faced domestic terrorism threats linked to conspiracy theories about weather weaponization. By March 8, reports indicated at least 1,000 more employees were slated for termination, though some were later rehired, leaving the agency's workforce and mission significantly compromised.