Under orders from President Donald Trump, NASA has dismissed its chief scientist, Katherine Calvin, along with key officials, marking a significant step away from climate research. The restructuring also eliminates NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy and its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch.
While deeper layoffs were initially expected, billionaire Jared Isaacman—Trump’s nominee for NASA chief and a close associate of Elon Musk—reportedly intervened to delay mass cuts. The overhaul aligns with Trump’s push for deep space exploration, as he reaffirmed in his State of the Union address, vowing to “plant the American flag on Mars and beyond.”
Meanwhile, his administration has already slashed staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), signaling a broader federal retreat from climate science.