NASA Announces Office Closures and Layoffs in Workforce Reduction Plan

The agency is closing three offices, including the Office of the Chief Scientist, as part of a federal workforce restructuring initiative directed by the Trump administration.

NASA is shutting down the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility branch.
The closures are part of a phased reduction in force (RIF) mandated by a February executive order from the Trump administration aimed at reducing the federal workforce.
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro described the layoffs as an effort to align with administration priorities and reshape the agency for efficiency.
The Office of the Chief Scientist, responsible for advising on NASA's science strategy, has been led by climate scientist Kate Calvin since 2022.
NASA has not disclosed the total number of jobs affected but confirmed that 23 employees from the closed offices have been laid off so far.