Trump administration appointees, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and NOAA nominees Neil Jacobs and Taylor Jordan, have significant ties to companies that stand to benefit from the privatization of U.S. government weather forecasting. This long-standing Republican aim, detailed in Project 2025, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the accessibility of crucial weather data, especially after recent deadly floods in central Texas highlighted the importance of public weather services. Critics argue that privatizing weather services could make vital information inaccessible to those who cannot afford commercial data.
Trump appointees have ties to companies that stand to benefit from privatizing weather forecasts
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Trump administration appointees, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and NOAA nominees Neil Jacobs and Taylor Jordan, have significant ties to companies that stand to benefit from the privatization of U.S. government weather forecasting. This long-standing Republican aim, detailed in Project 2025, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the accessibility of crucial weather data, especially after recent deadly floods in central Texas highlighted the importance of public weather services. Critics argue that privatizing weather services could make vital information inaccessible to those who cannot afford commercial data.
Trending- 1 1800s: The federal government's central role in weather forecasting began.
- 2 Trump’s first presidency: Trump signed a bill that utilized more private weather data.
- 3 2021: Howard Lutnick stated Satellogic was 'uniquely positioned to dominate the Earth Observation industry'.
- 4 2023: Neil Jacobs testified before Congress, advocating for a greater role for the private sector.
- 5 February (unspecified year, likely 2025): NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce lost about one-third of its staff in layoffs.
- 6 March (unspecified year, likely 2025): SEC filing showed Cantor holds a roughly 13% stake in Satellogic.
- 7 June 19 (unspecified year, likely 2025): Howard Lutnick's most recent ethics filing.
- 8 Recently (July 2025): Deadly weekend flooding occurred in central Texas.
- 9 Wednesday (July 9, 2025): Neil Jacobs is scheduled to appear before a Senate committee weighing his nomination.
- 10 2026: The White House’s spending plan proposes $8 billion in cuts for future NOAA satellites.
- Potential conflicts of interest for Trump appointees in weather-related agencies
- Diminished central role of the federal government in weather forecasting since the 1800s
- Potential harm for those facing financial strain who may not be able to afford commercial weather data
- Budget cuts and staff reductions at the National Weather Service and NOAA
- Companies with ties to appointees stand to gain from privatization efforts
- Cantor Fitzgerald paid a $6.75 million fine to the SEC for misleading statements about Satellogic and another company
- The White House’s 2026 spending plan proposes $8 billion in cuts for future NOAA satellites
What: Trump administration appointees have ties to companies that stand to benefit from the privatization of U.S. government weather forecasting.
When: Wednesday (July 9, 2025) (Jacobs scheduled to appear before Senate committee); recently (deadly weekend flooding in central Texas); since the 1800s (federal government's role in weather forecasting); Trump’s first presidency; 2021 (Lutnick's statement on Satellogic); February (SpaceX layoffs); June 19 (Lutnick's most recent ethics filing); March (Cantor's SEC filing); 2023 (Jacobs' testimony before Congress); 2026 (White House spending plan proposes cuts).
Where: Washington, D.C., United States; central Texas.
Why: Republicans have a decade-long aim to privatize government weather forecasting; appointees have financial interests or past affiliations with private weather companies; to potentially reduce government spending and increase private sector involvement; critics argue it could make weather products available only to those who can afford it.
How: Through budget cuts and staff reductions at the National Weather Service and NOAA; Trump signed a bill utilizing more private weather data in his first term; Project 2025 calls for NOAA breakup and full commercialization of forecasting; appointees maintain ties or have family members in leadership roles in companies that could benefit.