Recording the truth is an act of resistance
Recording the truth is an act of resistance
The orchestrated effort by the federal government to deny horrifying events—ones we can see with our own eyes—reflects an administration that often treats the truth as optional. Whether it is the suppression of speech or of science, the goal is the same: to ensure that political aims remain unchecked by reality.
At CSLDF, we refuse to be exhausted or frightened into silence. On January 20, 2026, the one-year anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration, we and the Sabin Center launched an updated and improved version of the Silencing Science Tracker. This is more than just a database; it is an act of resistance—and a tool for future accountability. We have meticulously documented over 700 government attacks on science, over 500 of which (and counting) were perpetrated by the first and second Trump administrations.
To meet this moment, we have revamped the Tracker to include improved tagging and search tools, making it easier for researchers, journalists, lawmakers, and the public to identify patterns of government attacks on science. While the Tracker has historically focused on attacks against climate scientists, under the second Trump administration, interference in public health research has become so common that we added it as a separate category. One recent entry highlights how deeply the anti-science movement has infiltrated federal health agencies: in late November 2025, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage was updated to include a reference linking vaccines to autism, a long-debunked yet pervasively held tenet of the anti-vaccine community.
We continue to put one foot in front of the other in support of truth and the researchers who seek it. In addition to documenting the science that the government wants to erase in the Silencing Science Tracker, we’re doing this by:
- Defending the researchers who refuse to stay silent or stop their work even when facing serious personal and professional risks
- Educating scientists on their legal rights to speak out and continue their vital research
- Strengthening the pro-science, pro-truth infrastructure that will outlast the current crisis
In a time of state-sponsored disinformation, recording and preserving the facts is an act of resistance. We persist because we recognize that truth, along with the freedom to share it, is the only solid foundation for creating a sustainable future.
Please note that things are moving very quickly and may have changed by the time you read this newsletter.
News & Events
AMS 2026: Free Legal Advice for Scientists
January 26 – 28, 2026 | Virtual via Zoom
Scientists attending AMS26 can meet with CSLDF attorneys for free, 30-minute, one-on-one legal consultations. Join us to discuss issues such as First Amendment matters, employment concerns, strategies for safeguarding online communications from adverse interests, or any other legal questions or concerns.
Science Still Under Attack: Announcing the Revamped Silencing Science Tracker
January 20, 2026 | CSLDF
We are proud to announce the launch of an improved version of the Silencing Science Tracker—a tool for documenting government efforts to interfere with science, now more critical than ever as the second Trump administration takes a chainsaw to climate, public health, and other areas of scientific research.
The scrappy attempt to save US climate data
January 8, 2026 | Politico
As the Trump administration deletes and alters critical data, scientists are pushing back. Chris Marchesano, CSLDF attorney, pointed to a fact-check created by more than 80 scientists that challenged an Energy Department report filled with inaccuracies about climate change.
All the climate info that disappeared under Trump. And how it’s being saved.
January 8, 2026 E&E News | Politico
As Trump continues his war on science, “I think it’s critically important that academics and scholars are sort of stepping up to fight back against misinformation,” said Chris Marchesano, CSLDF attorney. “It has important legal implications.”