--- title: Obama Official Says Beware of Donald Trump Threat to Science description: Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told scientists Wednesday to stand up to Trump if his appointees try to undermine science. canonical: https://time.com/4603264/donald-trump-sally-jewell-science/ author: Justin Worland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-12-15T14:45:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:04:22.044Z article:section: Science og:title: Obama Official to Scientists: Stand Up to Donald Trump og:description: “Your science matters" og:url: https://time.com/4603264/donald-trump-sally-jewell-science/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0c66df3b1e2e4ab2/6988b312f887dc91dee98827/sally-jewell-donald-trump-science.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5009 og:image:height: 2818 og:image:alt: sally jewell donald trump science og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama Official to Scientists: Stand Up to Donald Trump twitter:description: “Your science matters" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0c66df3b1e2e4ab2/6988b312f887dc91dee98827/sally-jewell-donald-trump-science.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama Official to Scientists: Stand Up to Donald Trump > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Future Proof: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Future Proof is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Making sense of the climate and energy economy. Future Proof examines the forces transforming energy and climate, and what those changes mean for business, technology, policy and the global economy. Senior correspondent Justin Worland goes beyond traditional climate coverage to connect the energy transition to the bigger decisions reshaping companies, markets and society. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change [Watch (HLS stream): A Trump Presidency and the Future of Climate Change](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/U3bhooK6.m3u8) (2:27)  _Published 2016-11-15. Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated that environmentalism is not his priority. Now, Climate scientists, policymakers and diplomats are questioning how his presidency will shape the future of climate change policy._  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 15, 2016 2:45 PM UTC  US Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell attends the 100th Birthday of the National Park Service celebration at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Aug. 22, 2016 in New York City. US Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell attends the 100th Birthday of the National Park Service celebration at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Aug. 22, 2016 in New York City. John Lamparski—WireImage  by [Justin Worland](https://time.com/author/justin-worland/)  ## Justin Worland Senior Correspondent Dec 15, 2016 2:45 PM UTC Interior Secretary Sally Jewell told scientists on Wednesday to stand up to President-elect [Donald Trump](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-donald-trump-choice/?xid=homepage&pcd=hp-magmod)‘s administration if his appointees try to “undermine” science. Jewell’s remarks, delivered in a keynote speech at the American Geophysical Union’s annual gathering in San Fransisco, follow a number of moves from Trump’s transition team that have raised alarm in the scientific community. “I encourage people to speak up and to talk about the importance of scientific integrity,” she said following the speech, in remarks reported by [the Washington _Post_](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/12/14/obama-official-urges-scientists-to-fight-disinformation-under-trump/?utm%5Fterm=.8c4843ec2d26). “And if they see that being undermined to say something about it.” Trump has appointed a number of people who question the scientific consensus of climate change, including former Texas Gov. Rick Perry as Secretary of Energy and Oklahoma Attorney General [Scott Pruitt](http://time.com/4594238/donald-trump-scott-pruitt-epa/?iid=sr-link1) as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency. Trump’s transition team also attracted attention when it suggested that the new president might [dismantle](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/22/nasa-earth-donald-trump-eliminate-climate-change-research) NASA’s Earth sciences program. A [questionnaire](http://time.com/4602315/donald-trump-energy-questionnaire/?iid=sr-link1) sent to the Department of Energy asked the agency to name people who worked on climate issues, leading some to fear that the incoming administration might try to purge climate scientists from its ranks. “Your science matters,” Jewell said in her speech. “I urge you to stay the course and keep up your commitment to your work.” ## Transcript [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Donald Trump has called climate change a hoax. It'll get cooler, it'll get warmer. It's called weather. Now that he's President- elect, here's what at stake for the future of the environment. Thank you. Paris Agreement which was negotiated last year and came into effect just a few weeks ago was a monumental step for addressing climate change. And setting a path forward for the coming decades to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Donald Trump has promised to cancel the Paris agreement, or at the very least, renegotiate it. Stop all payments of the United States tax dollars to UN Global Warming Programs. He does not have the authority to cancel it. It's an agreement with more than 190 countries. He also doesn't have the power to withdraw from it. Immediately at least, it would take at least three years to go through those processes. He does have the power to ignore it. It's unlikely that other countries will feel comfortable making big reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions, if the United States is not taking the lead. Another policy at stake is Obama's clean power plan. [ APPLAUSE ] Single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global Climate change. Trump has said that he would cancel it. Environmental Protection, what they do is a disgrace. Every week they come out with new regulations. He has the authority to do that. He could direct the EPA to eliminate the clean power plan. We'll be fine with the environment. We can leave a little bit, but you can't destroy businesses He will definitely if he does face litigation from environmental groups that will argue that it's the EPA's role to do that. It's a long winding process. And certainly not something that he's going to be able to accomplish in his first 100 days. Environmentalists are trying to remain Optimistic and looking at a lot of the market trends that have resulted in the reduction in coal power and other greenhouse gas emissions. A lot of it is outside of the realm of regulation. But also trying to stay optimistic about the Paris agreement. Some of them say even if Donald Trump Withdraws, they are confident that other countries will step up to the plate. I'm 16 years old from Mwanza, Tanzania. Looking forward, there's a lot of things that Trump can do to slow progress on climate change, but many of the trends he doesn't have control over. So there is reason for optimism if you're looking in the long- term. 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