NASA announced on Friday evening a significant reduction in its workforce, with nearly 4,000 employees choosing to accept the Trump administration’s deferred resignation option.
The decision to trim the agency’s staff by 20% comes as part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and aligning with the federal government's downsizing initiatives under the Trump administration. The reduction will see nearly 4,000 employees leaving the agency, reducing NASA's workforce from around 18,000 to approximately 14,000 personnel. This includes about 500 employees who were lost through normal attrition. The layoffs are being implemented through the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), a buyout initiative introduced across the federal government to slash costs and reduce the size of the workforce. The figures come from NASA News Chief Cheryl Warner, who shared them in an email to reporters on Friday.
The cuts come following this week’s publication of the “Voyager Declaration,” an open letter of dissent from employees to Interim NASA Administration Sean Duffy. “We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety, scientific advancement, and efficient use of public resources.” the signatories wrote. “These cuts are arbitrary and have been enacted in defiance of congressional appropriations law. The consequences for the agency and the country alike are dire.”
Warner emphasized that safety remains a top priority for the agency as it navigates these changes saying, "We are committed to maintaining a streamlined and efficient organization while ensuring we remain fully capable of pursuing a golden era of exploration and innovation, including missions to the Moon and Mars.”
The workforce reduction is part of a broader budgetary adjustment, with the White House proposing a 24% cut to NASA's overall budget, reducing it from $24 billion to $18 billion. The restructuring has also been accompanied by leadership changes within NASA. President Donald Trump's initial nominee for NASA administrator, tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, was withdrawn just before the Senate confirmation vote, which some speculated added to the public fallout between Trump and Elon Musk, who was the chief adviser for the Department of Government Efficiency. Subsequently, Transportation Secretary Duffy was appointed as the interim NASA administrator.
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