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🚨🇺🇸NASA BOOTS DEI CHIEF AFTER FAILING TO HIDE HER UNDER NEW TITLE

Neela Rajendra, former head of diversity at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, was terminated this week after her new title—Chief of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success—failed to shield her from Trump’s… https://t.co/qOivEK3Nhs pic.twitter.com/F9jNqfCqpG

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 12, 2025

Neela Rajendra, former head of diversity at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, was terminated this week after her new title—Chief of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success—failed to shield her from Trump’s executive ban on DEI programs.

NASA previously fired nearly 900 DEI staff in 2024.

Rajendra had escaped the purge with a rebrand that kept her in charge of affinity groups.

That ended Friday, per a lab-wide email.

She had led initiatives like “Space Workforce 2030” focused on equity hiring.

Source: New York Post