NASA Moves to Terminate Diversity Programs Following Trump’s Orders

Less than a day after the Donald Trump administration terminated federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion roles, NASA was quick to implement the executive order by putting an end to its diversity program.

NASA’s acting administrator Janet Petro sent a memo to agency employees on Wednesday afternoon, instructing them to close offices related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) at the agency and cancel related contracts. The decision comes amidst NASA’s efforts to increase diversity of its workforce and land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.

In 2023, NASA was named as one of the best employees in the U.S. for diversity. NASA began engaging in DEIA efforts in 2012, adding inclusion as a core value in 2020. By 2021, NASA’s workforce was composed of approximately 35% women and 30% minorities, according to a report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General. A year later, NASA announced its first-ever equity action plan to try to resolve lingering diversity and accessibility issues, and cater toward underrepresented communities.

Petro’s memo, however, reflects a dismissal of the agency’s diversity programs. “These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination,” the memo read. The website for NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity currently displays a “404 Not Found” error message.

The memo highlighted that the steps to close NASA’s DEIA offices are in accordance with Trump’s executive orders, which were followed by a template worded by the Office of Personnel Management to forward to employees.

The NASA email also included a warning against a breach of the new order, suggesting that employees at the space agency have been trying to conceal contracts under its diversity programs. “We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language,” Petro’s memo read. “If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances.”

NASA isn’t the only federal agency affected by the new executive orders; other agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health, are also being forced to terminate their diversity programs. Diversity and inclusion efforts in agencies like NASA are crucial given the lack of diversity in the field.

It wasn’t until 1978 that NASA selected its first diverse class of astronauts, a group that finally included the first African-American and first Asian-American astronauts and the first women. The issue goes beyond just NASA. Black and Latino students tend to drop out of STEM programs at a much higher rate than their white counterparts. About 40% of Black and 37% of Latino STEM students switched majors as undergraduates, compared with 29% of white STEM students, according to a 2019 study.

Even if NASA lands a diverse group on the surface of the Moon, efforts to be more inclusive on Earth should not be taken lightly.