NASA has dismissed Neela Rajendra, an Indian-origin leader who headed the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, in response to a sweeping executive order issued by President Donald Trump. This order aimed to eliminate DEI programs across federal agencies, marking a significant shift in the U.S. government’s approach to these initiatives.
Rajendra’s termination comes after weeks of internal efforts at NASA to retain her, despite the pressure from the executive order. In March, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where Rajendra worked, attempted to navigate around the order by reassigning her to a newly created role. This move led to the formation of the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” a rebranding seen by many as an effort to maintain Rajendra’s responsibilities while appearing to comply with the new mandate.
Even though her title was altered, Rajendra remained responsible for overseeing employee support programs and managing various affinity groups. Among her duties was leading the “Black Excellence Strategic Team,” a key initiative aimed at promoting racial diversity and excellence within NASA. However, despite these efforts to shield her position, the administration’s renewed focus on enforcing the executive order earlier this month ultimately led to her departure from the agency.
JPL officially confirmed Rajendra’s departure through an internal email sent last week. The email, reportedly written by JPL Director Laurie Leshin, expressed gratitude for Rajendra’s contributions to the organization: “Neela Rajendra is no longer working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best,” it stated.
During her tenure at NASA, Rajendra held various roles and was pivotal in launching initiatives such as the “Space Workforce 2030” pledge. This initiative sought to create more opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities within NASA’s workforce, aligning with broader efforts to foster diversity within the space agency.
Rajendra’s dismissal is part of a larger trend where federal agencies are scaling back or eliminating DEI programs. The Trump administration has framed this move as necessary to curb divisiveness, reduce wasteful spending, and address what it characterizes as discriminatory outcomes associated with such programs. As a result, hundreds of positions tied to diversity and inclusion efforts across the federal government have been cut.
With her departure, NASA joins a growing list of agencies that have fully shut down their DEI offices in response to the executive order, reflecting the broader shift in federal policy toward diversity programs.