A former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has expressed concern about the new screening questions on government job applications for Trump’s National Weather Service. The new questions seem to be a loyalty test for scientists, instead of a way to find the most qualified people. The National Weather Service, which is a part of NOAA, is trying to fill as many as 450 positions after the Department of Government Efficiency made significant budget cuts.
According to The Washington Post, job listings for meteorologists now ask people applying to name one or two of the President’s executive orders that are “that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.” This is part of a “merit hiring plan” that has included similar screening questions for other government job applications.
“The fundamental question is, will this make forecasts any better? That’s the job of the weather service.” said the former NOAA chief before continuing that, “These people should be hired for their knowledge in meteorology or hydrology or information technology or physics – not civics. … Bottom line, I’d rather have a great forecaster who’s never read an EO than a policy muck who’s taken one meteorology class.”
Like in North Korea, Trump’s meteorologists need to be loyal to him first and foremost
This effort to hire new people comes after the administration previously eliminated hundreds of NOAA forecasters and other workers. Experts had warned that these empty positions could make forecasts worse and cause dangerous delays in warnings for extreme weather.
The new application questions are part of a larger trend of making science political. The administration had previously decided to stop adding up the costs of weather disasters made worse by climate change. It also took steps to shut down two NASA missions that were tracking a powerful greenhouse gas and plant health.
Trump requires flattery and praise to an inordinately high degree. This time around he's appointed cabinet and staff based solely on loyalty. He doesn't want to be told anything that contradicts his beliefs. Cased in point: Lutnick snd Navarro on tariffs.
— Fascist Russian Asset (@SamanthaPfaff) August 29, 2025
A former NOAA official, Craig McLean, who worked under both the previous administration and during an earlier term for the current president, called the questions unrelated to the skills required for weather service jobs.
McLean said, “Asking a meteorologist to define how they as a new employee, are going to make the government more efficient is ludicrous. I’d rather understand how well they are prepared to use the forecast tools and make a timely and accurate forecast.
Another meteorologist, Jeff Masters, a meteorologist for Yale Climate Connections and co-founder of Weather Underground, said, “Whether or not you support the President’s Executive Orders will not enable a meteorologist to make a better forecast or issue a more timely tornado warning, and should have no place on a job application for the National Weather Service.”
People applying for the jobs are encouraged, but not required, to answer the questions. However, imagine not answering a question on a job application, even if it’s from an administration that attacks science so often. It’s not going to go well if you don’t. The administration has a past record of attacking clean energy and climate science while supporting fossil fuels.
