Trump Orders Review of Federal Judicial Science Manual

President Donald Trump ordered Federal Suspension and Debarment Officials to review the conduct of contractors involved in producing the Reference Manual for Scientific Evidence. In a Truth Social post on July 20, 2026, Trump characterized the manual's climate science content as "Political Fraud and False Science," claiming the discredited information resulted in "huge losses" for the United States.

The manual, jointly produced by the Federal Judicial Center and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, serves as a guide for federal judges evaluating scientific testimony. The federal judiciary had already withdrawn the manual's climate change chapter in February after 27 Republican state attorneys general, led by West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, argued the guidance was biased against fossil fuel companies and lacked impartiality.

Authors Jessica Wentz and Radley Horton defended the disputed section, stating that only the anthropogenic origin of climate change was presented as a settled fact. Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan testified before a Senate subcommittee, asserting the manual's purpose was to assist judges with scientific issues without taking positions on contested matters. Trump's order follows further reports regarding the political backgrounds of the authors and the influence of left-wing activists on the text.