Bill Nye Warns NASA Cuts Threaten U.S. Space Leadership
Bill Nye led roughly 300 space advocates in a Capitol Hill protest opposing the Trump administration’s FY2026 budget proposal that would reduce NASA’s budget from about $24 billion to $18.8 billion (roughly a 25% cut). Nye warned that such cuts could force the United States to 'cede leadership to other countries, especially [the] China National Space Administration,' and said dozens of missions — including work tied to the Perseverance rover and the Artemis lunar effort — would be at risk.
Space
Science
Politics
📌 Key Facts
- White House FY2026 budget proposal would reduce NASA funding from about $24 billion to $18.8 billion (≈25% cut).
- About 300 space advocates, led by Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye, protested on Capitol Hill this week.
- Nye and others warned cuts could jeopardize missions and cede leadership to China, which plans a sample‑return mission with launch in 2028 and potential return around 2033.