In a deeply controversial move that has alarmed scientists and space advocates alike, former President Donald Trump is once again pushing to gut America’s leadership in space science. A draft version of Trump’s latest budget proposal calls for a staggering 46% cut to NASA’s science division, effectively grinding major space research projects to a halt and jeopardizing billions in current and future missions.
According to two sources familiar with the plan, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the White House’s preliminary “passback” budget slashes funding for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate from $7.3 billion to just $3.9 billion. This division is the core of NASA’s scientific research and oversees missions that monitor Earth’s climate, explore other planets, and search the universe for signs of life.
Experts say this kind of dramatic cut could cripple America’s role in global space research—and hand leadership over to China and other countries that continue to invest in their scientific programs.
“This is not a budget—it’s a demolition order,” said one former NASA official. “These missions take decades of planning, and this kind of whiplash does long-term damage to U.S. credibility in space science.”
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, billed as NASA’s next major observatory and successor to the James Webb Space Telescope, could be among the casualties. That telescope, under construction at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, is part of an effort to understand dark energy and survey distant galaxies. The project supports thousands of high-tech jobs and fuels innovation in everything from imaging to aerospace engineering.
The potential cuts also include Earth observation satellites used to track climate change and natural disasters—tools that have become increasingly vital as extreme weather grows more common.
“This is a direct attack on climate science and our future,” said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who chairs the House subcommittee overseeing space and aeronautics. “Trump is sending a clear message: science doesn’t matter, and neither does America’s leadership in space.”
While the proposal is still in early stages and must pass through Congress, Democrats and even some moderate Republicans are expected to resist such extreme reductions.
Still, for many in the scientific community, this latest move is no surprise. Trump has long targeted climate research, previously tried to eliminate NASA’s Earth science programs, and repeatedly dismissed the threat of climate change as a “hoax.”
Now, with another run for the White House in full swing, critics say Trump is reviving his war on science—and this time, the price may be even higher.
“This isn’t about fiscal responsibility,” said a NASA contractor who could lose their job if the cuts go through. “It’s about silencing science, plain and simple.”
The final budget proposal is expected later this year. Until then, thousands of scientists, engineers, and researchers are left in limbo—watching Washington, and wondering if decades of work will be erased with the stroke of a pen.
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Who writes these so-called news articles? “ Now, with another run for the White House in full swing….” excuse me.., but is there a real editor at your firm? That’s what you wrote. There is not another Trump run for the White House and if he were in fact running he couldn’t now slash the nasa budget!!! Your article makes no sense! Citing in-named sources allows you to issue any opinion you want!! Plus you go on and on how this just guts certain NASA programs WITHOUT ANY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM NASA AND THE PRESIDENT AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE CUT! At what point should America live within its means? Can any household or nation borrow money endlessly? Can we just print money endlessly? Of course not! By the way do you have any idea just how much money $3.9 billion dollars actually is? I bet you could do an awful lot with $3.9 billion dollars!! And so can NASA if they manage it well.
As to Human Induced Climate Change: this whole theory is based on the supposition that excess carbon molecules from our burning of fossil fuels is accumulating in the upper atmosphere causing a blanket over the earth trapping heat. The only problem with this theory is that NASA found zero carbon molecules of any kind in our upper atmosphere!!! Why? Because all forms of carbon are a heavy molecule and so are unable to escape to the upper atmosphere to form that blanket!
So is climate changing? Yes!!! It always changes. If you know your history you will recall the Roman warming period which allowed the Empire to flourish, the dark ages where it was very cold, the age of reason where it was again very warm and of course the little ice age in the late 1700s- remember valley forge? All due according to NASA to minuscule changes in the Sun’s heat radiation!! Yes the very same NASA, who you are complaining is having its budget cut which affects our ability to do climate change research!!!
Again, report the news not your opinions! Facts not opinions or political discourse! You are representing yourselves as a news source!
We all know NASA SPENDS WAY TOO MUCH and produces way too little… and most of what they produce isn’t needed…