The Trump administration released a revised order that rebranded NASA's mission as a national intelligence and security agency. (Image Source: Pinterest)
The Trump administration released a revised order that rebranded NASA's mission as a national intelligence and security agency. The order tasked it with tasks like "intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work." Keith Cowing, NASA Watch founder and former agency scientist, uncovered the shift, which at first passed without much notice.
In fact, the action seems to be more about labor regulations than spying. According to a report by Futurism, the order subjects NASA to the Federal Service Labour-Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS), taking away its workers from collective bargaining rights. The move prompted protests, with NASA employees protesting in front of the Washington, D.C. headquarters. The move is part of a larger White House effort to restrain union protections for federal employees, which has already resulted in several lawsuits. Monica Gorman, a vice president of the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association, informed protesters that unions safeguard personnel against unfair treatment.
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Meanwhile, Trump has earmarked a severe reduction to NASA's budget for 2026, trimming almost 25 percent—from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. The deepest cuts aim at science missions, leaving the agency with its lowest budget since 1961, The Planetary Society reports.
Notwithstanding these setbacks, the administration has aggressive plans for space exploration. Acting NASA head Sean Duffy explained that Trump is keen to send astronauts back to the Moon before China and go on to Mars. At the same time, Trump's interest in the Golden Dome missile defense system indicates that he is prioritizing militarization of space over Earth science research.
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