Data scientists perform last rites for 'dearly departed datasets' in 2nd Trump administration

Source: AP

Updated 10:06 AM EST, November 5, 2025


While some people last Friday dressed in Halloween costumes or handed out candy to trick-or-treaters, a group of U.S. data scientists published a list of “dearly departed” datasets that have been axed, altered or had topics scrubbed since President Donald Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.

The timing of the release of the “Dearly Departed Datasets” with “All Hallows’ Eve” may have been cheeky, but the purpose was serious: to put a spotlight on attacks by the Trump administration on federal datasets that don’t align with its priorities, including data dealing with gender identity; diversity, equity and inclusion; and climate change.

Officials at the Federation of American Scientists and other data scientists who compiled the list divided the datasets into those that had been killed off, had variables deleted, had tools removed making public access more difficult and had found a second life outside the federal government.

The good news, the data scientists said, was that the number of datasets that were totally terminated number in the dozens, out of the hundreds of thousands of datasets produced by the federal government.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/census-bureau-data-scientists-trump-doge-7558df32c4ff7d2152aa5d8b02c0ae57