NASA Terminates DEI Chief Neela Rajendra Following Trump Executive Order

The space agency dismantled its diversity office and restructured roles, but efforts to retain Rajendra through rebranding ultimately failed.

Neela Rajendra, NASA's DEI chief, was terminated in compliance with President Trump's executive order targeting diversity programs in federal agencies.
NASA attempted to retain Rajendra by rebranding her role as Head of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success, but her responsibilities remained tied to DEI initiatives.
The newly created Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success will now be transferred to NASA's Office of Human Resources as part of broader restructuring efforts.
NASA's central diversity office and related initiatives were dismantled in March 2025, following the Trump administration's directive to end such programs.
The executive order claims DEI programs promote division and inefficiency, leading to their removal across multiple federal agencies, including NASA.