President Donald Trump is demanding a review of a scientific reference guide published by the Federal Judicial Center — the research arm of the U.S. federal court system — specifically regarding how it handles climate change information.
In a Sunday post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the manual contains “discredited” information that has resulted in “huge losses” for the country.
“Our Nation’s Federal Judges deserve Facts and Science, not Political Fraud and False Science on Climate,” Trump wrote. “With this TRUTH, I hereby order Federal Suspension and Debarment Officials to review this conduct.”
It remains unclear exactly what “conduct” Trump is directing officials to investigate. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
The Federal Judicial Center’s Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence is a tool federal judges use when evaluating cases that involve scientific testimony and evidence. The fourth edition of the manual was released in December and included a newly added chapter focused on climate science.
That climate chapter was written by Jessica Wentz and Radley Horton of Columbia Law School. Its stated purpose was to help judges assess the credibility and relevance of expert testimony and evidence related to climate science.
However, earlier this year, the federal judiciary pulled that chapter from the fourth edition after Republican state attorneys general argued the section was unfairly slanted against fossil fuel companies.
The manual was jointly developed by the Federal Judicial Center and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
