Proposed NASA Budget Cuts Draw Sharp Criticism from Musk and Lawmakers

The Trump administration's draft budget for 2026 suggests slashing NASA's science funding by nearly 50%, prompting backlash over potential impacts on U.S. scientific leadership.

• The Trump administration's draft budget proposes cutting NASA's overall funding by 20%, with science programs facing a nearly 50% reduction, reducing funding from $7.5 billion to $3.9 billion.
• Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and head of the Department of Government Efficiency, called the proposed cuts 'troubling' in a public social media post.
• Musk emphasized his support for science but noted that his role as a NASA contractor prevents him from participating in budget discussions about the agency.
• Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized the proposed cuts as 'shortsighted' and 'dangerous,' pledging to fight them through his role on the Appropriations Committee.
• The draft budget figures remain unconfirmed and subject to change, but they have already sparked tensions within the White House and raised concerns about the future of U.S. space exploration.

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