Trump administration fires entire National Science Board overseeing NSF
The Trump administration has dismissed all members of the independent board that oversees the National Science Foundation, removing the panel responsible for advising on science policy and guiding the agency’s direction.
Members of the National Science Board were notified on Friday in an email from the Presidential Personnel Office stating that their positions were terminated immediately on behalf of President Donald Trump. The board, established in 1950, plays a key role in advising the president and Congress on science and engineering issues, approving major funding awards, and shaping the foundation’s long-term priorities.
The board typically consists of 25 presidential appointees serving staggered six-year terms. The dismissed members, drawn from academia and industry, represent fields such as astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, and aerospace engineering. According to former member Yolanda Gil, all 22 current members were removed at once, just days before a planned in-person meeting and the expected release of a report on the state of U.S. science.
Several former board members expressed concern about the decision. Keivan Stassun, a professor at Vanderbilt University, said the move was disappointing, while Gil described it as part of broader changes the administration appears to be pursuing at the agency.
The decision also drew criticism from lawmakers. Sen. Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, warned the action could undermine institutions that support American innovation and research.
The shakeup comes as the administration again considers major reductions to the foundation’s budget. A previous attempt to cut more than half of the agency’s roughly $9 billion funding was rejected by Congress, but similar reductions are being discussed for the upcoming fiscal year. Former board members cautioned that without the advisory body in place, such cuts could face fewer obstacles and potentially impact research funding and workforce development in science and engineering.
The National Science Foundation has also undergone other changes, including relocating its headquarters to a smaller facility after its previous building was reassigned for use by another federal agency. Officials have not publicly commented on the board dismissals.
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