Full Analysis Summary
Federal Dataset Changes Under Trump
U.S. data scientists compiled a “Dearly Departed Datasets” list that documents federal datasets eliminated, altered, or stripped of sensitive topics during the Trump administration.
The focus of the list falls on gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion, and climate change—areas the administration reportedly did not prioritize.
The effort, led by the Federation of American Scientists and others, highlights concerns about data suppression despite only a relatively small number of datasets being fully terminated.
Notably, while some frame this as a “second term” development, the sources only describe actions since President Donald Trump took office and do not specify a second term timeline.
Citations include the Associated Press and Buffalo News, which report on the removal, alteration, or censorship of numerous government datasets related to these topics.
Coverage Differences
narrative
Associated Press (Western Mainstream) centers its narrative on the technical scope and provenance of the “Dearly Departed Datasets” list, emphasizing subject areas (gender identity, DEI, climate) and the compilers (Federation of American Scientists). Buffalo News (Other) also highlights the data removals but frames them amid broader administrative changes and political economy themes, signaling a wider narrative lens beyond data management itself.
missed information
Neither Associated Press (Western Mainstream) nor Buffalo News (Other) specifies that these actions occurred in a second term; both describe changes occurring “since President Donald Trump took office,” leaving the timing relative to a second term unclear.
Government Data Alterations Impact
Concretely, the affected records span core public-interest metrics such as the Census Bureau’s data on income inequality and disaster vulnerability.
Public-health surveillance data on drug-related emergency room visits has also been impacted.
Labor data collected through farm labor surveys has been altered.
Criminal-justice and workforce statistics have seen the removal or deletion of information related to race, ethnicity, gender identity, or transgender status.
The documentation argues that these edits and removals reduce public insight into equity, safety, and labor conditions by eliminating sensitive categories and specialized monitoring streams.
According to the Associated Press, examples of affected data include Census Bureau information on income inequality and disaster vulnerability, health surveillance on drug-related ER visits, farm labor surveys, removal of race and ethnicity data from federal workforce statistics, and deletion of transgender inmate figures and gender identity questions from crime victim surveys.
The Associated Press also notes that the list, compiled by the Federation of American Scientists and others, focuses on datasets related to gender identity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and climate change that no longer align with the administration’s priorities.
The Buffalo News highlights concerns raised by U.S. data scientists who have identified numerous government datasets that have been removed, altered, or censored since President Donald Trump took office.
Coverage Differences
detail vs. generalization
Associated Press (Western Mainstream) provides granular examples across census, health, labor, and justice domains, itemizing precise fields that were deleted or altered. Buffalo News (Other) reports the pattern of removal/alteration/censorship but does not enumerate specific datasets, focusing instead on the overall concern raised by data scientists.
tone
Associated Press (Western Mainstream) uses institutional and technical language about data categories and administrative alignment, whereas Buffalo News (Other) adopts charged terms like “censored,” implying a sharper critique of the changes.
Data Issues and Political Context
Scope and risk are portrayed with nuance: only “dozens” of datasets among “hundreds of thousands” were fully terminated.
Scientists warn about persistent vulnerability due to staff losses and the possibility of future suppression.
Some coverage situates the dataset issue alongside other administration actions, such as halting penny production.
The halt in penny production has caused downstream shortages for merchants.
This juxtaposition suggests both a technical data-governance problem and a wider political economy context.
Broader debates include presidential power and investor protections.
Coverage Differences
narrative
Associated Press (Western Mainstream) frames the story as a data-governance issue with measured scope and specified risks. Buffalo News (Other) extends the narrative to macro-level policy and market contexts—pennies, presidential power, investor protections—embedding the data issue in broader administrative change.
Government Data Changes Overview
The throughline, as reported, is that the affected topics—gender identity, DEI, and climate—no longer aligned with the administration’s priorities, and that this misalignment drove removals, alterations, and the excision of sensitive categories.
Experts warn that the harm may compound over time as lost staff capacity makes future data suppression easier, even if outright terminations remain numerically limited.
Importantly, neither cited outlet attributes these actions specifically to a second term, so any such framing remains unsubstantiated by the provided material.
The Associated Press reported that the list, compiled by the Federation of American Scientists and others, focuses on datasets related to gender identity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and climate change that no longer align with the administration’s priorities.
The Associated Press also noted that while only dozens of datasets out of hundreds of thousands have been completely terminated, concerns remain about ongoing risks due to staff losses and potential future data suppression.
The Buffalo News highlighted concerns raised by U.S. data scientists who have identified numerous government datasets that have been removed, altered, or censored since President Donald Trump took office.
Coverage Differences
contradiction vs. clarification
There is no direct contradiction between Associated Press (Western Mainstream) and Buffalo News (Other) about the occurrence of removals/alterations; however, AP clarifies scope and mechanisms (staff losses, targeted topics), while Buffalo News emphasizes the act of censorship and broader political context—creating a clarification rather than a dispute. Both omit any claim that these are second-term-specific actions.