NASA announced on Tuesday the dismissal of its chief scientist and several other employees as part of an effort to comply with directives from President Donald Trump. This latest action follows a pattern of the administration undermining climate change research.
Although the immediate layoffs affect just 23 individuals, a NASA spokeswoman indicated that additional cuts are anticipated.
The first wave of layoffs includes the elimination of the Office of the Chief Scientist, led by Katherine Calvin, a prominent climatologist who played a key role in major UN climate reports. She, along with other US delegates, was also excluded from attending a significant climate science meeting in China last month.
“To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF,” said NASA spokeswoman Cheryl Warner.
“A small number of individuals received notification on March 10 that they are part of NASA’s RIF. Eligible employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) or proceed with the RIF process.”
Also impacted are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of NASA’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
While NASA has so far avoided the deeper cuts seen at other agencies, reports suggest this may be due to last-minute intervention by Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominee for NASA chief. Isaacman, a billionaire e-payments entrepreneur and SpaceX customer, is seen as having close ties to Elon Musk, a key Trump advisor and advocate for federal cost-cutting measures.
In February, NASA had been preparing to lay off approximately a thousand probationary employees. However, Isaacman is said to have requested that these cuts be postponed, according to Ars Technica. NASA has yet to clarify the reversal.
The new layoffs, first reported by NASA Watch based on an internal memo, may signal a shift in NASA’s focus from climate research to exploration, aligning with Trump and Musk’s shared goal of sending humans to Mars. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump reiterated the goal of planting the American flag on Mars and beyond.
NASA plays a vital role in climate science, operating a fleet of Earth-monitoring satellites, conducting comprehensive studies, developing climate models, and providing open data to researchers and the public.
Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed climate change as a “scam,” has also pulled the US out of the Paris Agreement for a second time. His administration has similarly implemented deep cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the nation’s primary climate agency, with further reductions expected.
AFP
