The chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at NASA has been fired even though the agency reportedly changed her job title in an effort to shield her from President Trump’s executive order that aims to eliminate DEI programs in federal agencies, according to a report.
Neela Rajendra, one-time Chief DEI Officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, was fired this week from her recently renamed position as head of the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” according to the Washington Free Beacon. President Trump and his close ally Elon Musk have been vocal critics of DEI, actively pushing to eliminate what they describe as biased practices within the federal government.
Fired Even After Shielding Her from Trump
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Rajendra had once claimed that setting strict deadlines for projects could hinder inclusivity. Despite widespread layoffs in 2024—where around 900 positions were cut due to budget constraints—the diversity office was eliminated, yet Rajendra was mysteriously kept on.
Her new title removed all direct mentions of DEI, but she reportedly continued handling many of the same responsibilities in her new role as “head of employee success.”
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However, the lab parted ways with her following reports that she was being protected from Trump administration DEI cuts.
“Neela Rajendra is no longer working at [Jet Propulsion Laboratory]. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best,” an email to all the employees from lab director Laurie Leshin, obtained by the Beacon, read.
Rajendra’s firing has left many shocked. On March 10, NASA leadership announced in an email that Rajendra would take on the role of “Chief of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” a department tasked with overseeing the lab’s “affinity groups,” including the “Black Excellence Strategic Team,” according to the outlet.
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In her LinkedIn job description, Rajendra described her new position as being dedicated to “unlocking our potential to Dare Mighty Things TOGETHER,” emphasizing collaboration and collective achievement.
“I believe this change is essential for [Jet Propulsion Lab’s] future success and aligns well with Neela’s strengths and focus over the last year,” director Leshin wrote to staff at the time in an email obtained by the Beacon.
NASA Plays Safe
Rajendra played a key role in advancing diversity initiatives at NASA, including advocating for the “Space Workforce 2030” pledge, which aimed to increase the hiring of women and underrepresented groups.
According to the Beacon, during a 2022 presentation, she expressed concerns that “tight deadlines” could hinder progress toward achieving inclusion objectives.
This news comes as NASA decided to shut down its diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs, in line with a federal directive ordering all agencies to discontinue such initiatives.
In an email sent to staff in late January, acting administrator Janet Petro explained that NASA is “taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts in accordance with President Trump’s executive orders.”
The directive, titled “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions,” outlined the administration’s stance. NASA’s message acknowledged that these programs had “divided Americans by race, misused taxpayer dollar, and resulted in shameful discrimination.”
The agency had reportedly been spending at least $22.4 million per year on these initiatives.
