"I was surprised to learn that he was a blue-blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before."

The resignation wave is closely tied to budget pressures. The White House has proposed cutting NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget by nearly half, down from $7.33 billion. This proposed reduction is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to cut down on government spending and streamline federal operations.

Senator Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees NASA's budget, has supported Artemis in the past, so it is not certain that NASA's budget will be cut by as much as the Trump administration's proposal by the October 1 deadline.