Federal Scientists Forced to Speak in Code to Study Climate Change

Researchers at the USDA and other agencies avoid using 'climate change' and other banned terms to keep their work alive under the Trump administration.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 7:35pm

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A highly textured, abstract painting in earthy tones of green, brown, and blue, featuring sweeping geometric shapes and intersecting waveforms that conceptually represent the complex scientific forces underlying climate change.As the federal government restricts the language scientists can use to discuss climate change, researchers are finding creative ways to continue their vital work.Peoria Today

Across federal agencies and academic institutions, scientists are avoiding words they once used without hesitation when discussing climate change and related topics. This 'climate hushing' has taken hold as the Trump administration has discouraged the use of certain terms, leading researchers to reframe their studies and seek out alternative funding sources to continue their work.

Why it matters

The language changes and funding cuts are part of a broader trend of the federal government suppressing climate science under the Trump administration. This is impacting the ability of researchers to study the impacts of climate change and provide critical information to help communities adapt, raising concerns about the future of climate research in the United States.

The details

At the USDA's research division, staff have been instructed to avoid using over 100 banned words and phrases, including 'climate change,' 'global warming,' and 'carbon sequestration.' Researchers have responded by swapping in softer synonyms like 'elevated temperatures,' 'soil health,' and 'extreme weather' to get their work published. Across federal agencies, the number of grants from the National Science Foundation mentioning 'climate change' has plummeted by 77% under Trump, while 'extreme weather' has become more common as a way to sidestep the politically charged language. Some scientists have even had major research programs eliminated simply for having 'CC' (for 'climate change') in the title.

  • In March 2026, a memo from USDA management instructed staffers to avoid using banned climate-related terms.
  • Under the Trump administration, the number of NSF grants mentioning 'climate change' fell from 889 in 2023 to 148 in 2025, a 77% decline.

The players

Ethan Roberts

Union president at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois, who has worked for the federal government for nearly a decade.

Trent Ford

The state climatologist for Illinois and a research scientist at the Illinois State Water Survey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

DOGE

The Department of Government Efficiency, a new federal agency under the Trump administration that has laid off hundreds of thousands of federal workers and eliminated major research programs.

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What they’re saying

“Instead of making it about the climate, you would instead just make it about the disease itself, and be like, 'This disease does these things under these conditions,' rather than 'These conditions cause this disease to do this.' It's just changing the focus.”

— Ethan Roberts, Union president

“It's sort of a weird thing, because on principle, if we're studying climate change, to not name climate change feels dirty. But it's more of a practical decision than anything else: We've seen where grants that say everything but 'climate change' and are obviously studying the impacts of climate change get through with no problem.”

— Trent Ford, State climatologist for Illinois

What’s next

Researchers are continuing to adapt their language and funding sources to keep their climate-related work alive under the Trump administration, though the long-term impacts on the future of climate science in the U.S. remain uncertain.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's suppression of climate science through language restrictions and funding cuts is forcing federal researchers to get creative in order to continue their vital work, raising concerns about the future of climate research in the United States.