US National Science Board Members Fired by Trump Administration

US President Donald Trump’s administration has terminated all 22 members of the National Science Board (NSB), the policy and advisory arm of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSB, which sets policies for government-funded scientific research and education, had its board members dismissed without explanation. An ex-board member, Roger Beachy, stated that he and his colleagues received a brief termination email with a “thank you for your service” message.

Beachy expressed concern about the future of research and education supported by the NSF, citing the importance of the NSB’s independence and its interactions with the agency. Democratic lawmakers have criticized the administration’s action, calling it a “stupid move” that could harm science and American innovation.

The White House and NSF did not respond to requests for comment outside of usual business hours. Trump has not publicly confirmed or commented on the firings. The NSB was previously targeted by the administration as part of a cost-cutting drive, which resulted in the scrapping or halting of over 1,600 NSF grants worth nearly $1 billion.

The National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and spent over $8 billion on scientific research and education in 2025. The agency’s budget has historically received bipartisan support. Beachy noted that it was too early to predict the impact of the dismissals on science funding, but expressed optimism about the future of the NSF if such support continues.

The administration’s move comes as part of a broader effort to restructure the federal government, following previous actions that targeted multiple agencies, including the Department of Education and USAID.

Source: Al Jazeera