The Trump administration’s deferred resignation program has led to nearly 4,000 NASA employees opting to leave the space agency, reducing its workforce by an estimated 20%. The cuts bring the total number of employees from 18,000 to 14,000. During two rounds of the program, 3,000 and 870 employees applied to leave, respectively. This move follows the administration’s plan to reduce the federal workforce and implement budget cuts.
NASA’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 would decrease funding by about 24%, but a recent bill signed into law by President Trump allocates nearly $10 billion in additional funding through 2032. Despite this boost, scientists and space organizations have criticized the White House’s budget proposal, saying it undermines NASA’s role in promoting unity at home and collaboration abroad.
Critics, including The Planetary Society, have expressed concerns about the program’s impact on NASA’s ability to achieve its goals. A letter signed by over 300 current and former employees, known as the “Voyager Declaration,” urged interim administrator Sean Duffy to reject the proposed cuts, citing they would not be in the best interest of the agency.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/26/nx-s1-5481304/nasa-employees-deferred-resignation-program