New Delhi: The Trump administration has removed the entire National Science Board (NSB), one of the policy bodies that govern the National Science Foundation.
The abrupt move has caused a dramatic political response and a sense of uncertainty regarding the way American scientific research and funding is going.
According to former board member Roger Beachy, the terminations came without warning or explanation. In a speech to Al Jazeera, Beachy added that the members were sent a short email thanking them for the service they provided. The relocation is being perceived as a part of a greater initiative to restructure federal institutions.
Mass firings raise alarm across scientific community
The National Science Board is the advisory and policy organ of the NSF, which is one of the largest publicly funded science organisations in the world. The agency was founded in 1950 and dedicated more than $8 billion to research and education in 2025.
Concerns among experts are that a complete removal of the entire board will destroy current projects and undermine institutional independence. Beachy cautioned that the future appointments will be independent or politically orientated, which will dictate whether the agency will operate effectively or not.
Democrats slam ‘Dangerous’ restructuring move
The decision was severely criticised by senior Democratic lawmaker Zoe Lofgren. In a statement, she referred to the firings as detrimental to innovation and raised the question of whether the board would be reshaped with politically loyal members.
“This risks handing scientific leadership to global competitors,” Lofgren said, reflecting broader concerns among lawmakers about weakening US research dominance.
Part of wider federal overhaul strategy
The layoffs are part of a broader reorganisation effort by the Trump administration. Previous measures have entailed reductions in agencies like the Department of Education and the United States Agency for International Development.
The NSF was already in the process of significant defunding as part of projects associated with the Elon Musk Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with over 1,600 grants covering nearly a billion dollars reportedly cancelled or frozen.
The White House has not made any official remarks on the dismissals. Media reported that the NSF also refused to respond immediately.
Regardless of the debate, analysts observe that there has been long-standing, bipartisan support of the NSF. Nevertheless, it is unclear what this decision will entail in the long run. A lot will be determined by the successors of the fired board members and whether scientific independence will be maintained.
