The NASA Glenn Research Center, a hub for aerospace innovation in Northeast Ohio, is facing a potentially devastating future under Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts. The administration’s plan would slash the center’s overall budget by nearly 25 percent, with severe impacts on Brook Park facility.
According to Leila Atassi, this move would result in over 550 full-time job losses at Glenn alone, reducing the workforce from 1,400 people to just over 800. The broader implications extend far beyond Northeast Ohio, as NASA’s overall budget would be reduced from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion next year.
Experts describe these proposed cuts as “an extinction level event for science, research, and education.” Major projects like the Orion Spacecraft and Space Launch System, which NASA Glenn has played significant roles in developing, would be canceled entirely.
The proposal’s impact is part of a broader pattern of attacks on intelligence and science by the administration. Chris Quinn notes that this move appears to be “dead on arrival” in Congress, but the mere suggestion sends a chilling message about priorities. International competition in science and technology is intensifying, with top scientists fleeing the country.
The proposed cuts would not only devastate Northeast Ohio’s economy but also potentially set back critical research in areas where America has traditionally led the world. Local leaders are pushing back, with Congressman Max Miller expressing support for expanding Glenn’s footprint and even suggesting moving NASA headquarters to Ohio.
As Congress begins budget deliberations, the future of the NASA Glenn Research Center hangs in the balance, threatening one of America’s premier scientific institutions and a critical piece of Northeast Ohio’s economy and identity.
Source: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/06/trumps-war-on-science-hits-home-nasa-glenn-research-center-faces-extinction-level-cuts.html