NASA has quietly removed its longstanding commitment to landing the first woman and the first person of color on the moon, aligning with President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies.
Artemis program shifts focus
The pledge to break new ground in lunar exploration by sending diverse astronauts to the moon was a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface in 2027. The last manned moon landing took place in December 1972 under the Apollo program.
Previously, NASA’s Artemis landing page explicitly stated: “NASA will land the first woman, the first person of color, and the first international partner astronaut on the Moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.” However, recent updates to the webpage have removed this statement, raising questions about whether the agency is shifting away from its original goals.
NASA’s statement on policy change
In a statement to The Guardian, NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel confirmed that the wording was removed in compliance with President Trump’s directive.
“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,” Beutel said.
Trump’s crackdown on ‘wokeness’
Since taking office, President Trump has launched an aggressive campaign against DEI initiatives, ordering federal agencies to eliminate related programs and positions. A January 24, 2025, memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management directed agency heads to dismantle “all DEI, DEIA, and ‘environmental justice’ offices and positions within 60 days.”
The move to scrub NASA’s diversity pledge has sparked debate over whether the administration’s policies will impact broader representation in space exploration.
While NASA continues to emphasize its mission to return humans to the moon, the removal of this language suggests a shift in priorities under the new administration.
