Trump Administration Removes Key Environmental and Public Health Data

Data Disappearing from Federal Websites

The Trump administration is removing environmental and public health data from federal websites, including information on climate change, racial equity, and gender identity. This has raised concerns among researchers and activists who rely on this data to track health disparities and social vulnerability.

CDC Website Temporarily Offline

The CDC's main data portal went offline temporarily, citing compliance with an executive order. While the site is expected to return, it's unclear what data will be restored. This action follows a pattern from Trump's first term, where significant portions of the EPA's website were also removed. For related news on government updates, see the February 2025 Google System Update.

Key Indexes Removed

  • The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and Environmental Justice Index (EJI) have been removed. These tools were crucial for identifying at-risk communities.
  • The SVI assessed vulnerabilities based on factors like poverty, race, and ethnicity.
  • The EJI tracked the impact of pollution on low-income and minority communities.

The removal of these indexes hinders efforts to address environmental health disparities. This is reminiscent of Samsung ending updates for 11 Galaxy devices, limiting access to vital resources.

Trump's Stance and Further Removals

Trump has reversed policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), claiming they "corrupted" government institutions. He has also blamed "climate extremism" for inflation and overregulation. The Department of Transportation has deleted pages on climate, sustainability, and equity, following an internal memo to terminate related programs. This echoes the US law targeting DeepSeek and Chinese AI, raising concerns about access to information.

Impact on Global Health Data

The removal of data extends to global health programs. The website for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was taken down, raising concerns about transparency and the future of U.S. global health commitments.

Archiving Efforts and Concerns

Organizations like the End of Term Web Archive Project and the Environmental Data and Governance Initiative are working to preserve government data. However, archived data is not a substitute for updated datasets, and experts warn about the limitations of using outdated information.