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Trump Orders Review of Judges’ Scientific Manual · GNN Daily Breaking News

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: President Trump has directed officials to examine the Scientific manual
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  Speaker 1: relied upon by federal judges, arguing that the guidelines may
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  Speaker 1: be outdated and biased. The manual, formerly known as the
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  Speaker 1: Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, is widely used in US
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  Speaker 1: courts to help judges assess complex scientific and technical testimony.
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  Speaker 1: Trump said the review is necessary to ensure that judges
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  Speaker 1: are applying the most accurate and up to date science
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  Speaker 1: when ruling on cases involving medicine, technology, and environmental policy.
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  Speaker 1: He suggested that the manual may reflect political bias and
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  Speaker 1: could be influencing rulings in ways that disadvantage American businesses
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  Speaker 1: and innovation. The Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence was first
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  Speaker 1: published in the nineteen nineties and has been updated periodically,
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  Speaker 1: most recently in twenty eleven. It covers topics ranging from
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  Speaker 1: epidemiology and toxicology to DNA analysis and statistical methods. Judges
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  Speaker 1: use it to evaluate whether expert witnesses meet the legal
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  Speaker 1: standards for reliability and relevance. Critics of Trump's move argue
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  Speaker 1: that the manual is a neutral resource developed by the
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  Speaker 1: Federal Judicial Center and the National Academies of Sciences. They
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  Speaker 1: warned that politicizing the review could undermine judicial independence and
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  Speaker 1: erode trust in the courts. Legal scholars note that while
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  Speaker 1: science evolves, the manual is designed to provide judges with
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  Speaker 1: a framework, rather than dictate outcomes. Supporters of the review
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  Speaker 1: say that scientific advances in fields like artificial intelligence, biotechnology,
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  Speaker 1: and climate modeling demand updated guidance. They argue that courts
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  Speaker 1: must keep pace with innovation to avoid misinterpreting evidence or
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  Speaker 1: relying on outdated assumptions. The announcement comes at a time
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  Speaker 1: when science and law increasingly intersect. From patent disputes to
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  Speaker 1: ronmental regulations, Judges are often asked to weigh technical evidence
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  Speaker 1: that can shape national policy. Trump's call for a review
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  Speaker 1: highlights the growing tension between scientific expertise and political oversight.
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  Speaker 1: Whether the manual will be revised and who will oversee
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  Speaker 1: the process remains unclear. The Federal Judicial Center has not
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  Speaker 1: yet commented, and legal experts say any changes would require
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  Speaker 1: careful consultation with scientists, judges, and policymakers. For now, Trump's
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  Speaker 1: directive has opened a debate about how courts handle science
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  Speaker 1: and whether judicial tools should be shielded from political influence
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  Speaker 1: or subject to executive review.