More than 1,800 employees at the National Science Foundation (NSF) were abruptly notified on Tuesday evening that they would be removed from their Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters — a facility the agency only moved into in 2017.
The next day, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) confirmed it would be taking over the NSF’s office space “as quickly as possible,” according to Michael Peters, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the General Services Administration (GSA).
An NSF employee told E&E News they had “literally zero idea” this move was coming.
Staff Protest as Trump Administration Celebrates “Efficiency”
By Wednesday, dozens of NSF employees had gathered outside their building in protest, chanting “We won’t go!” and “N-S-F.” One worker, speaking anonymously to Washington’s News4, summed up the mood bluntly: “This is bulls—.”
Inside the building, however, officials framed the move as part of the Trump administration’s push to streamline government operations. “The people of HUD are excited to have a new home to deliver excellent services,” said HUD Secretary Scott Turner, noting that roughly 2,700 HUD employees will relocate from the aging Robert C. Weaver Federal Building in Washington, D.C. A large banner reading “The New Golden Age of HUD” stood behind him.
“This is a win for everyone involved,” added Peters.
Union, Lawmakers Push Back
But not everyone agrees.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents many NSF workers, condemned the move in a press release, calling it “a callous disregard for taxpayer dollars and NSF employees.” The union also accused the administration of using the relocation to install luxury additions to HUD’s new space — including a private gym, dining room, and executive suite for Secretary Turner.
“That’s ridiculous and it’s not true,” Turner responded at the press conference.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said the move was especially egregious given the administration’s proposed 55% cut to NSF’s budget. “We should be investing in our scientists and innovation to make America globally competitive,” she said. “I will fight to ensure NSF workers are protected and that their important work continues.”
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a senior member of the House Science Committee, called the action “egregious, corrupt, and disgraceful,” adding, “Once again, science loses, the American taxpayer loses, and our competitors, like China, win.”
A Broader Attack on Science?
This decision comes amid a broader pattern of cuts and disruptions to federal science agencies under the Trump administration. Over the past six months, more than 1,600 NSF grants have been frozen or canceled, and the White House is seeking to slash the agency’s funding by more than half. HUD, meanwhile, is facing a proposed 44% budget cut in 2026.
The administration has also canceled the lease for NASA’s Goddard Institute in New York and pulled out of major science conferences, decisions that scientists say are damaging America’s global leadership in research.
What’s Next for Displaced Workers?
It remains unclear where NSF’s displaced employees will go. Some had only recently relocated to Virginia after a federal judge blocked the administration’s attempt to fire dozens of probationary staff. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has urged the Trump administration to keep the agency in the state, though possibly at a new location.
For now, GSA has said it is working on a relocation plan. “GSA will continue to support and work with the National Science Foundation on securing space that allows them to fulfill their mission,” the agency said in a press release.
