NASA is now a spy agency, thanks to Trump’s order

**NASA Is Now a Spy Agency, Thanks to Trump’s Order**
*By Akash Pandey | Sep 18, 2025, 06:23 PM*

Late last month, the Trump administration quietly issued an executive order designating NASA as a national intelligence and security agency. This significant change means that NASA’s main functions will now include “intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work,” marking a major shift from its traditional role.

The change was first reported by Keith Cowing, founder of NASA Watch and a former NASA scientist. For the past 67 years, NASA has been primarily dedicated to space exploration and space sciences, making this new directive a dramatic pivot in its mission.

**Employee Unrest and Protests**

The new status has sparked unrest among NASA employees. Workers protested the move, particularly due to the order adding NASA to the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS) while excluding it from collective bargaining representation. Many staff members see this as an attack on labor rights.

A protest demonstration took place recently outside NASA’s headquarters in Washington, DC, expressing employee dissatisfaction with the agency’s new direction and labor restrictions.

**Budget Cuts and the Space Race with China**

In addition to the executive order, the Trump administration proposed a nearly 25% budget cut for NASA in 2026. The budget would be reduced from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, with most reductions impacting the agency’s science programs.

Sean Duffy, acting chief of NASA, has noted that President Trump is focused on ensuring the U.S. reaches the Moon and Mars ahead of China, emphasizing a heightened sense of competition in the space race.

**NASA’s Uncertain Future**

These developments come at a turbulent time for NASA. The White House has also threatened to halve the agency’s science budget in the next fiscal year, potentially putting dozens of major space missions on hold.

While some lawmakers have suggested more moderate revisions to the proposed budget cuts, time is running out for NASA as it navigates these substantial changes under the Trump administration. The agency now faces an uncertain future balancing its new intelligence responsibilities with its commitment to space exploration.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/nasa-designated-as-national-security-agency-in-trump-executive-order/story

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