Staff Reports
NASA is making headlines once again, but this time, it’s less about exploring the stars and more about finally getting down to what really matters: space exploration. Under the Trump administration’s guidance, the agency has taken decisive action to trim its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) roles from its budget, signaling a bold pivot away from political correctness and towards mission-critical projects that put humanity back on the moon—where it belongs.
With the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cracking down on unnecessary expenditures, NASA has been under pressure to clean house in a hurry. The agency decided that chasing diversity initiatives and climate committees wasn’t getting rockets off the ground, so they’ve sent packing 23 employees, including the office of the Chief Scientist, headed by a senior climate adviser who seemed more focused on climate politics than on conquering the cosmos. In a world where budgets are tight and taxpayer dollars should be placed in flying rockets instead of bureaucratic nonsense, it’s hard not to cheer a little.
Janet Petro, who’s temporarily stepping in as NASA’s head until a Trump-approved appointee takes the reins, framed the layoffs as an “opportunity” to refocus the agency’s mission. While some may interpret this as just euphemistic corporate jargon, it’s more of a rallying cry for those who believe NASA should be a launchpad for technological advancement rather than a breeding ground for social justice warriors with day jobs.
NASA Implements Sweeping Changes as DOGE Pushes for Cuts in Federal Sectorhttps://t.co/uDRAKNnCcX
— Papa Hemingway (@PopHemingway) March 12, 2025
The cutbacks don’t leave those dedicated to actual space missions high and dry. NASA has committed to ensuring that crucial programs like the Artemis mission—aimed at returning astronauts to the moon—remain unaffected. This is a refreshing departure from the past, where it sometimes felt like NASA had two priorities: saving the planet and promoting equity. By streamlining the workforce, it seems the agency has chosen to prioritize the only “equity” that truly matters: equal access to space for all, regardless of their identity politics.
This early move by NASA illustrates a shift in the federal landscape under Trump, hinting that other agencies could soon follow suit. Perhaps the government is starting to figure out what real efficiency looks like—cutting the fluff and steering focus back to tackling groundbreaking space exploration. While pundits may have expected a slower drag towards reforms, NASA has propelled itself forward, making it clear that when it comes to space, less drama and more launching is the new mantra.
