Trump Administration Cuts 10% of National Science Foundation Workforce

The Trump administration continued its wave of federal worker layoffs on Tuesday, targeting the National Science Foundation (NSF) with cuts exceeding 10 percent of its workforce. This action adds to the widespread purge of probationary federal employees that commenced last week.

According to Michael England, a spokesman for the NSF, the agency terminated 168 probationary employees, leaving approximately 1,450 career employees. However, an anonymous NSF employee disputed this claim, stating that only about half of the laid-off individuals were probationary staff. The other half comprised more senior specialists.

Widespread Layoffs Across Government Agencies

Last week, the Trump administration mandated agencies to terminate most of the estimated 200,000 government workers on probation. Mass firings have since cascaded throughout the government, with some departments laying off over a thousand employees at a time. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), among other agencies, is preparing to lay off thousands more employees this week.

Impact on Scientific Research

The NSF plays a crucial role in supporting cutting-edge scientific research. These layoffs raise concerns about the potential impact on ongoing projects and future advancements in various fields of science.