Trump fires all 24 members of National Science Board, the NSF's oversight body

President Trump immediately dismissed all 24 members of the National Science Board (NSB), which oversees the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF).

The NSB advises the administration and Congress on science policy and is involved in setting policy and approving large-scale spending for the $9 billion NSF. Members are appointed by the President and serve 6-year terms, with 8 members typically rotating out every two years.

The dismissals were communicated via an email from the Presidential Personnel Office dated April 24, 2026. The scientific community views this move as a step that undermines the independence of the 76-year-old research institution.

• The dismissal of all members has been linked to the NSB's public criticism in May 2025 of Trump's proposed 55% cut to the NSF budget.
• Another cited source of conflict is the Trump administration's recent request for $900 million to build a new Antarctic icebreaker, which reportedly bypassed the NSB approval process by directing the NSF directly.
• Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the ranking Democrat on the House Science Committee, criticized the move as harmful to science and American innovation, and expressed concern that the board could be filled with MAGA loyalists.
• Victor McCrary, the former chair who was dismissed, said that achieving a golden age of science requires more investment, not cuts.

According to the article, erosion of independence at the NSF was already underway even before the dismissals, with the board's governance guidelines reportedly being ignored internally.