“Neil knows that America uses NOAA’s products every day,” said Craig McLean, a career civil servant who was the agency’s chief scientist during Mr. Trump’s first term. “His last tenure showed the limits of good will against political bullying.”

President Donald Trump is set to have atmospheric scientist Neil Jacobs lead the NOAA for a second stint after working with him from 2019 to 2021. In 2019, he served as its acting administrator until Trump left office at the end of his term in January 2021.