Trump adminration planning to fire over 2,000 NASA employees: Report | World News
US President Donald Trump’s adminration is reportedly planning to cut at least 2,145 senior ranking NASA employees who are equipped with specialised skills and managerial abilities, documents obtained Politico stated.
Bringing clouds over the White House space policy and depriving NASA of decades of experience, the Trump adminration is planning to slash senior-level government ranks, mostly who are in GS-13 to GS-15 positions. The report added that the agency has offered the affected staff early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignations.
Most of the staff leaving the space agency currently serve in core mission areas. Those leaving NASA include 1,818 staff working in mission areas of science or human spaceflight, while others worked in mission support roles of Information Technology, management or finance.
Story continues below this ad
When asked about the proposed cuts, NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens said “NASA remains committed to our mission as we work within a more prioritized budget,” Reuters reported.
The departure of over 2,000 employees follows a proposed White House budget for 2026 wherein NASA would see a funding cut 25 percent and staff being reduced about 5,000. The proposed cuts, if approved the Congress, could become one of the smallest budgets for NASA to operate since the 1960s.
Since President Trump returned to the White House for his second tenure in January, the US space industry and NASA’s workforce of 18,000 have been slashed due to layoffs and proposed budget cuts that are also poised to cancel dozens of science programs.
Trump on Wednesday announced a temporary adminrator for NASA, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a role that has remained vacant since Trump withdrew his initial nominee. It was a setback to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who was hoping that his ally and billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman would be given the responsibility to head NASA.
