Is Trump targeting NASA? Over 2,000 senior employees could exit amid funding slash

Washington DC: In a major blow to space research and exploration, more than 2,100 senior-ranking employees at NASA are expected to leave the agency, according to a report by Politico on Wednesday. The departures come in the wake of the Trump administration’s push to cut federal spending and streamline government operations.

The move is tied to proposed budget cuts that would slash NASA’s funding by nearly 25%, posing a threat to several key space exploration missions.

Politico’s report follows a letter sent in early May by the Executive Office of the U.S. President to the chair of the congressional committee overseeing discretionary spending, outlining the administration’s plans for reducing federal expenditures.

In a letter dated May 2, 2025, addressed to Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Executive Office of President Trump outlined recommendations for discretionary funding levels for the 2026 fiscal year.

The letter stated that the proposed allocations followed a thorough, line-by-line review of the 2025 federal budget. Among the key proposals is a substantial reduction in NASA’s funding, impacting eight of the agency’s nine budget areas.

The Trump administration's plan aims to shrink the size and cost of the federal government, with NASA among the agencies facing significant workforce reductions as a result.

The layoffs are part of a strategy to optimise the federal workforce, with NASA offering early retirement, buyouts, and deferred resignations to achieve this goal.

In the letter, Trump had recommended slashing the funding for climate monitoring satellites, phasing out the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule, reducing crew and cargo flights to the International Space Station and cuts in 'subsidising woke STEM programming and research'.

According to a report by Politico, the act could potentially spell trouble for the White House's space policy and result in depriving the agency of decades of experience.

The 2,145 employees were reported to be those in GS-13 to GS-15 positions- these are senior-level government ranks which are characteristically reserved for those with specialised skills or management responsibilities.

Citing the documents, Politico noted that the losses are particularly concentrated at higher levels, with 875 GS-15 employees set to leave.

It was reported that many of those who are leaving also serve in NASA's core mission sets, according to the documents. These include staff members in mission areas like science or human space flight, support roles like IT, facilities management or finance.

Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, decried the move.

As per Politico, she said, "You're losing the managerial and core technical expertise of the agency... What's the strategy, and what do we hope to achieve here?"

The departures come on the heels of a proposed White House budget for 2026, which would result in slashing NASA's funding by 25 per cent and cutting over 5,000 staff. The cuts, if enacted by Congress, would force the agency to operate with the smallest budget and staff since the early 1960s, Politico reported.

Notably, these cuts are spread across each of NASA's 10 regional centres.

According to Politico, the White House may end up losing staff who are key to their integral plans such as sending astronauts to the moon by mid-2027 and later to Mars.

"NASA remains committed to our mission as we work within a more prioritised budget," said NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens. "We are working closely with the Administration to ensure that America continues to lead the way in space exploration, advancing progress on key goals, including the Moon and Mars", Politico reported.

Politico further noted that the 2,694 civil servants who have left are just half of the total cuts the White House wants to see--thereby opening the door for involuntary cuts if more employees don't participate in the deferred resignation program, which runs through July 25.

The White House's proposed cuts to staff and budget are not yet law. Politico reported that the appropriators in Congress could reject the White House's vision for NASA. The Senate Commerce Committee, which covers NASA, signalled it supported retaining staff in a bill issued in March.

Despite this, a threat looms as even if the Congress decides to reject the White House cuts, NASA may have a hard time getting employees back.

Politico said that NASA employees with relevant skills could work for the rising number of space companies with higher salaries, or they could leave for non-space industries where their skills are deemed valuable, notable areas being robotics. (ANI)