State Department analyst quits after White House blocks climate testimony

State Department intelligence analyst Dr. Rod Schoonover has resigned after the White House blocked him from providing written testimony on climate change, the Wall Street Journal first reported Wednesday.

The big picture: Schoonover testified last month before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on climate change's effects on national security. But the White House refused to approve his written testimony for entry into the permanent Congressional record, according to the New York Times, which reviewed a June 4 email stating the testimony did not correspond with Trump administration views.

Why it matters: The official government position on climate change has ripple effects throughout both domestic and international science deliberations, per Axios' Amy Harder. The Trump administration is escalating its attacks on established climate science.

• Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff is investigating the matter. His inquiry could disclose new information about White House challenges to widely recognized scientific findings on global warming and its effects.

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