NASA cuts staff, closes key offices to comply with Trump's executive order

[DragonSlayer101]

What just happened? NASA has begun reducing its workforce and closing several key offices to comply with an executive order from President Trump. The restructuring is being coordinated with the US Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget.

Announcing the mass layoffs, NASA stated it is beginning a "phased approach to a reduction in force" to optimize its workforce and comply with Trump's executive order. In an internal email, Acting Administrator Janet Petro did not specify the number of employees affected but noted that "a small number of individuals" had been notified that their jobs would be affected.

A NASA spokesperson later confirmed to Business Insider that 23 employees were laid off across three departments: the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. All three departments are being shut down as part of the compliance process.

It is unclear which executive order NASA referenced in its press release, but media reports suggest it likely pertains to an anti-DEI order issued by Trump on January 20, the day he was sworn in for his second term. According to the official White House website, the order instructed the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to eliminate all "illegal" DEI programs across the federal government.

A few days later, NASA announced it was complying with the order by closing all DEIA offices and terminating all DEIA-related contracts. The agency also directed employees to report any attempts by colleagues or officials to preserve DEI programs in violation of the order, warning that failure to do so within 10 days could result in "adverse consequences."

NASA has faced mounting pressure from the Trump administration to reduce spending and cut its workforce. With Elon Musk leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the administration has laid off thousands of federal employees and slashed billions in funding for medical research, cyber threat intelligence, climate finance, affordable housing, veteran welfare, and other critical programs.

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NASA cuts staff, closes key offices to comply with Trump's executive order

 

[opckieran]

They can call their offices and agencies whatever they want, but the fact of the matter is, it’s still government; it’s still gonna be inefficient! Keep the cuts coming.

 

[Kirby1]

Oh goodie, gutting science just like the neo-Christians wanted. Stock market doing worse now than it had in a long time. Is America great again yet?

 

[uzair24]

It’s surprising to see NASA making such cuts. Space exploration and research are crucial for innovation and progress. Hope this doesn’t slow down important missions!

 

[Beerfloat]

It’s surprising to see NASA making such cuts. Space exploration and research are crucial for innovation and progress. Hope this doesn’t slow down important missions!

It's really not that surprising. Funding SpaceX directly is not moving the needly quickly enough. NASA needs to be kneecapped.

 

[winjer]

I bet this was Musk's idea, to give an extra advantage to SpaceX contracts.

 

[Haaky]

Not only does Musk want to take over America (which he has already done), buy the Orange Menace.
He wants to take over the world, Nazis' always do.
But I guess now he wants to take over the universe.
The guy is an *****, his shoe size is bigger than his I.Q.
And don't give me this garbage about how smart he is, he is an *****, plain and simple.

He thinks "K" is a basic food group

 

[SRB]

Good lord, I've never seen so many ignorant comments in one place. 23 employees?!?! Yeah, that will make Musk rich, end NASA, cripple science, enable Musk to take over the world. You people need to grab your security blankets and sippy cups, hide under the bed, and don't come out until the orange man is gone.

Hysteria, Trump derangement syndrome, and now Musk derangement syndrome appears to be a real thing.

First, this is 23 people out of 18,000. Second, what does DEI have to do with space exploration and science? Third, most of the 23 probably came out of DEI positions, and other non postitions and have NOTHING to do with space or science. And last, you probably could fire the 23 most important people at NASA (or any government agency), and not skip a beat with all of the overlap and redundency built into these places.

Get over yourselves. This is a GIANT non story.

 

[The Talking Tech]

What about Musk's Space X?... after receiving billions of dollars from U.S TAX players I don't see Trump demanding personnel cuts for their inefficiency as all we see the constant failures and exploding rockets polluting air, water and land.

 

[Beerfloat]

Good lord, I've never seen so many ignorant comments in one place.

I take it you don't use Twitter.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Good lord, I've never seen so many ignorant comments in one place. 23 employees?!?! Yeah, that will make Musk rich, end NASA, cripple science, enable Musk to take over the world. You people need to grab your security blankets and sippy cups, hide under the bed, and don't come out until the orange man is gone.

Hysteria, Trump derangement syndrome, and now Musk derangement syndrome appears to be a real thing.

First, this is 23 people out of 18,000. Second, what does DEI have to do with space exploration and science? Third, most of the 23 probably came out of DEI positions, and other non postitions and have NOTHING to do with space or science. And last, you probably could fire the 23 most important people at NASA (or any government agency), and not skip a beat with all of the overlap and redundency built into these places.

Get over yourselves. This is a GIANT non story.

- I'm certainly not a big fan of the way DOGE has been conducting itself, but if all anyone can find to cut out of NASA is 23 employees then NASA was a lean mean operating machine already.

OTOH if this is just the tip of the iceburg and we see NASA get hapazardly gutted then I'll save my outrage for that moment.

 

[hover389]

Its good the DEI office was closed. Its racists and sexist to hire people based on their looks and not their capability

 

[Bluescreendeath]

Its good the DEI office was closed. Its racists and sexist to hire people based on their looks and not their capability

Several offices were closed. One was the DEI office and the other was the Office of its chief scientist. The DEI office closing likely wont affect much but the other office seems like it was geared towards important science.

DOGE was originally going to cut 1000 probationary workers and more workers from NASA last month but the plan was put on hold temporarily.

 

[hover389]

Several offices were closed. One was the DEI office and the other was the Office of its chief scientist. The DEI office closing likely wont affect much but the other office seems like it was geared towards important science.

DOGE was originally going to cut 1000 probatation workers and more workers from NASA last month but the plan was put on hold temporarily.

I agree that closing the other offices is pretty stupid

 

[kiwigraeme]

They can call their offices and agencies whatever they want, but the fact of the matter is, it’s still government; it’s still gonna be inefficient! Keep the cuts coming.

You are inefficient , companies are inefficient - not all inefficiency is bad !!! - Lots of very good and logic reasons to have inefficiency , amazing but true

Ask 98% of people do you want a more efficient government - they say yes

Most think of empire building , too many middle and senior managers , too many perks, junkets . too many consultant reports not read to cover thy a***, too many spin doctors , too many rebranding, redecorating the WH every election , too many golfing excursions etc


But ask people directly?
Do you want less fire fighters?
Less nurses, doctors, police , border guards , consumer protection , weather collection and prediction, road maintenance etec etc 100000 list long ?
Less infectious disease researchers
less flight controllers
less or no people in charge of nuclear bomb security

So of course we find your comment just mindless and without any real understanding or nuance

Should we cut all health services and mental care to VA - they are losers after all ?

There really is an education problem in The USA Trump always says he loves the uneducated
Get rid of Dept of Education - not like the Red States education is any good anyway - all those states at bottom of table and getting worse

 

[Karlos95]

Good lord, I've never seen so many ignorant comments in one place. 23 employees?!?! Yeah, that will make Musk rich, end NASA, cripple science, enable Musk to take over the world. You people need to grab your security blankets and sippy cups, hide under the bed, and don't come out until the orange man is gone.

Hysteria, Trump derangement syndrome, and now Musk derangement syndrome appears to be a real thing.

First, this is 23 people out of 18,000. Second, what does DEI have to do with space exploration and science? Third, most of the 23 probably came out of DEI positions, and other non postitions and have NOTHING to do with space or science. And last, you probably could fire the 23 most important people at NASA (or any government agency), and not skip a beat with all of the overlap and redundency built into these places.

Get over yourselves. This is a GIANT non story.

Thank you, some logical thinking... Honestly, these people are so brainwashed. They need to turn off the news and touch some grass LMFAO

 

[p51d007]

No problem...as Biden said during shutdowns/closings/layoffs, they just need to
learn to code.

 

[SRB]

I take it you don't use Twitter.

As a matter of fact, no. I feel that I see enough re-posted quotes from there that I'm not sure I'd gain anything by spending any more time on it.

 

[Tantor]

Oh goodie, gutting science just like the neo-Christians wanted. Stock market doing worse now than it had in a long time. Is America great again yet?

DEI isn't science. It's institutionalized sexism and racism.

 

[maxxcool7421]

Oh good, trump just SOLD space to china .. nice work republicans. More americans out of work and we fall more behind space exploration than some third world countries.

 

[texasrattler]

Oh goodie, gutting science just like the neo-Christians wanted. Stock market doing worse now than it had in a long time. Is America great again yet?

The dumbest post. Nothing nor no one fixes anything overnight. Don't care who they are, not going to happen. Everything in this world takes time.

 

[Underdog]

Too many chiefs and no ****ing indians.

 

[Rudyduu]

...probably...

This is why propaganda works so well with some people. They get a tiny amount of information with no actual facts or evidence and if it aligns with their opinion, it's a fact.

 

[TempleOrion]

This is why propaganda works so well with some people. They get a tiny amount of information with no actual facts or evidence and if it aligns with their opinion, it's a fact.

Yup Repugnants are prone to ingest any old crap and then remix it into confirmation bias. Actual facts are thrown away as unnecessary (because they don't like them and they don't fit into the tiny space left in their cognitive abilities LOL).

Pity that reality always comes back to bite them on the ***, no matter what looney-toons drivel they believe in.