Claim via Social Media
A viral July 6, 2025, TikTok post claimed the Trump administration “defunded” both the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), blaming the alleged cuts for the deadly Texas floods that killed over 100 people.
Explanation
While the Trump administration has implemented staffing cuts and proposed broader budget reductions to NOAA, neither the agency nor the NWS has been “defunded.”
As of mid-2025, NOAA’s workforce had been reduced by about 11%, including 800 job terminations and 500 buyouts. Roughly half of those losses came from the National Weather Service, which experienced a 17% reduction in personnel. However, Trump’s 2026 budget proposal includes a 6.7% funding increase for the NWS, even as it proposes to eliminate major NOAA research divisions like the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
The NWS offices responsible for the flooded Texas region had staffing vacancies at the time, including missing roles for emergency coordination; however, officials stated that the offices still functioned within their typical capacity. Meteorologist Matt Lanza told PolitiFact that the proposed cuts would “decimate NOAA’s research capability,” not dissolve the weather service itself.
Conclusion
Fact or Fiction? Mostly False. While NOAA and NWS have experienced job cuts and the Trump administration has proposed major reductions to NOAA’s research arms, neither agency has been defunded. In fact, Trump’s budget proposal increases funding for the weather service.
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Last Updated on July 9, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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