Did Trump Ask NASA To Abandon Plan To Land First Woman, Person Of Colour On Moon? Here’s What Happened

NASA has officially withdrawn its commitment to land the first woman and person of colour on the Moon, a goal that was a key component of its Artemis program. The decision follows President Donald Trump's executive order to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across US federal agencies. This move marks a significant shift in NASA’s messaging and mission planning, as the agency prepares for its first human lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972.

Previously, NASA’s Artemis program emphasised its goal of increasing diversity in space exploration. The agency's official website once stated: “NASA will land the first woman, first person of colour, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.” However, recent changes to the Artemis webpage have removed this language, reflecting the agency’s updated approach under the new administration.

The Orlando Sentinel was the first to report on the alteration, prompting further scrutiny of NASA’s shifting policies. In response, NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel clarified the agency’s stance in a statement to The Guardian:

“In keeping with the president’s executive order, we’re updating our language regarding plans to send crew to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign. We look forward to learning more from [and] about the Trump administration’s plans for our agency and expanding exploration at the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all.”

Political Influence On NASA’s Mission

The Trump administration has taken swift action to eliminate DEI-related policies across federal agencies, including NASA, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Additionally, the US military has followed a presidential directive to enforce a ban on transgender individuals serving in the armed forces, though this measure was temporarily halted by a federal judge.

NASA’s move is particularly striking because the Artemis program itself was launched during Trump’s first term in 2019. At the time, the administration championed the initiative, touting the historic nature of landing a diverse crew on the lunar surface. The decision to now abandon this goal underscores the shifting political landscape and its impact on space exploration priorities.