NASA Under Fire: GAO Accuses Agency of Illegally Implementing Trump's Budget Cuts

A recent, scathing report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has cast a dark shadow over NASA, alleging that the space agency took illegal steps to implement the Trump administration's controversial budget proposal. At the heart of the matter is NASA's Education Office, a vital department responsible for fostering STEM education nationwide, which the Trump administration sought to eliminate.

The GAO's findings are unequivocal: NASA, according to the report, violated federal law by utilizing appropriated funds to plan the closure of its Education Office even before receiving congressional approval for such a drastic move.

This action, the GAO concluded, constituted a breach of the Antideficiency Act, which strictly prohibits federal agencies from obligating or expending funds in advance of, or in excess of, an appropriation.

The controversy stems from the initial budget proposal submitted by the Trump administration, which outlined a plan to dismantle NASA's Education Office, redirecting its functions to other departments.

While the proposal was under review by Congress, the GAO asserts that NASA proceeded with actions—such as internal reorganization, reassignment of personnel, and the allocation of resources—that indicated a clear intent to execute the closure, effectively preempting the legislative process.

NASA, for its part, has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Agency officials maintain that their actions were merely .