NASA set to lose more than 2,000 senior personnel due to Trump's budget cuts

Reuters

Around 2,145 senior-ranking employees at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are set to leave under a push to shed staff, Politico reported on Wednesday citing documents obtained by the news outlet.

Most employees leaving are in GS-13 to GS-15 positions, senior-level government ranks, the report said, adding that the agency has offered staff early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignations. The agency has a workforce of 18,000 personnel.

“NASA remains committed to our mission as we work within a more prioritized budget,” the agency's spokesperson, Bethany Stevens, said.

This wave of exits follows months of uncertainty within the U.S. space sector under the administration of President Donald Trump. Budget proposals have threatened to cancel dozens of science programs, and NASA has been operating without a confirmed administrator.

The situation was further complicated last month when Jared Isaacman — a billionaire private astronaut and Elon Musk ally — was unexpectedly withdrawn as Trump’s nominee to lead the agency. The decision is widely seen as fallout from Musk’s growing rift with the president, leaving NASA’s leadership in limbo as it undergoes significant workforce changes.

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