As a government shutdown looms, federal employees may be let go, including an untold number at NASA.

Politico reported on September 24th that the Trump White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) wants to reduce the American federal agency workforces nationwide if a government shutdown is not averted before September 30th. Politico's reporting on the matter states:

"OMB told agencies to identify programs, projects and activities where discretionary funding will lapse on Oct. 1 and no alternative funding source is available. For those areas, OMB directed agencies to begin drafting [reduction in force] plans that would go beyond standard furloughs, permanently eliminating jobs in programs not consistent with President Donald Trump’s priorities in the event of a shutdown."

It is unknown what programs or missions NASA's leadership may eliminate, but it may mean a shrinkage of the space agency's workforce during a period where the White House is already cutting. So far, at least 2,100 employees have left, with an attempted 6 billion United States Dollars in funding cuts, since the start of President Trump's second term eight months ago.

In recent weeks, Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has said repeatedly that NASA won't use funds restored to it by lawmakers, but Ars Technica recently reports that science missions have now been directed to use that funding.

However, funding is only half of the effort to materialize space missions. NASA Watch has reported on September 26th that NASA's California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory, America's hub for missions to other planets, is preparing for a reduction in force that would be implemented by October 15th. That layoff could see up to 4,000 of the lab's 5,500 employees leaving, according to NASA Watch's sources.

Before the news of a potentially massive layoff at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Zoe Lofgren (Democrat, California), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, criticised the White House's move, stating:

"The Trump administration continues to use public servants as pawns in their game to distract and destroy our federal agencies," – "This threat of further [reduction in force] is shortsighted and stupid. The government can’t be run like a deal-making game show—people behind critical agency efforts provide services that benefit all Americans. Why does Trump want to punish Americans?"