NOAA Staff Directed to Halt Collaborations with Foreign Entities

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a key federal agency responsible for monitoring the oceans and atmospheric conditions, has instructed its employees to temporarily suspend all interactions with foreign nationals. This directive, which affects communication even with those who are part of U.S. government collaborations, was revealed through an internal email obtained by WIRED.

The email, sent to members of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), explicitly stated to cease all international engagements, which includes participating in international commissions and any form of communication via email with foreign colleagues. Employees have been asked to provide detailed accounts of their ongoing international work for review by higher authorities, including officials from the U.S. Department of Commerce, which oversees NOAA.

The rationale behind this sudden cessation of communication remains unclear, as does the duration of this pause. According to an anonymous source familiar with NMFS operations, NOAA officials expressed concerns during a recent meeting about feeling targeted by the Trump administration. They indicated that their work, particularly in relation to offshore wind projects, is under heightened scrutiny due to their involvement in international workshops, conferences, and summits focused on wind energy.

For context, the agency had anticipated hosting international fellows and interns in the summer, particularly in relation to an offshore wind development working group established by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, which is recognized as the oldest intergovernmental scientific organization.

On the first day of his administration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at stalling the growth of wind energy initiatives. During a speech shortly after his inauguration, he expressed a clear stance against wind energy.

Additional reports suggest that the halt on communication also extends to the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). This branch is crucial for collecting data from various federal agencies and relies heavily on international partnerships. The weather and climate data produced by NESDIS is vital for ensuring safe air travel, addressing drought conditions, monitoring the degradation of coral reefs, and protecting rail transport from extreme weather events.

As outlined on NESDIS's official website, the agency collaborates closely with the European Space Agency, leveraging data from a series of Sentinel satellites managed by EUMETSAT, which is comprised of over 30 member nations.

Furthermore, reports indicate that NOAA officials have been directed to grant editing access to Nikhil Rajpal, a former employee of Twitter, over documents related to the agency's operations hosted on Google Sites. This directive reportedly originated from acting Commerce Secretary Jeremy Pelter. Public records show that Rajpal has been assigned working email addresses both at NOAA and with the Department of Government Efficient (DOGE) task force, which is led by Elon Musk. Rajpal's name also appears on an expert roster at the Office of Personnel Management, which is the federal government's human resources division. This office has been linked to a server that gathers information on federal employees and has been utilized to communicate details regarding the administration's deferred resignation program.

The NOAA has increasingly come under fire from conservative factions, many of whom advocate for the reduction or privatization of its functions.