
Just weeks after budget cuts gutted key forecasting positions in Kentucky, a deadly tornado outbreak killed at least 18 in the state—leaving many to question whether staffing reductions at the National Weather Service cost lives.
In April 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under the Trump administration, ordered staffing cuts across multiple National Weather Service (NWS) offices as part of a broader effort to streamline federal agencies, the New York Times reported.