By Jeff DeWit
As a proud American and loyal longtime supporter of President Donald J. Trump, I can say without hesitation that his second term is off to a very successful start. Among many things since taking office, President Trump has improved national security, made the world a safer place by ending wars around the globe, promoted fiscal responsibility in government, and implemented executive actions that support American leadership, including within NASA. President Trump is building on his first-term’s transformative actions to sustain U.S. leadership in space, and I know because I had a hand in implementing those actions during my time working at NASA.
NASA UNDER TRUMP’S FIRST TERM
As the NASA CFO during President Trump’s first term, I had the honor and privilege of being part of the team that made NASA a highly functioning and relevant organization again. Under Donald Trump’s leadership, the nation’s space agency rediscovered its footing and was refocused on bold objectives - including a firm commitment to send Americans back to the Moon and onward to Mars. By issuing Space Policy Directive-1 in December 2017, he re-set the exploration agenda: prioritizing a U.S.-led lunar return, leveraging commercial and international partners, and establishing a pathway outward.
The President backed that vision with funding. In 2019 the White House submitted a budget amendment that significantly boosted NASA’s resources to propel the lunar mission forward. At the same time, he re-established the National Space Council - an inter-agency body that had been shuttered for decades - giving it fresh authority to drive cross-government coordination on space policy, budgets and commerce. That structural reform matters: without a strong central coordinating body, big mission plans can easily drift. Trump fixed that to the benefit of NASA and the entire space industry. President Trump and his administration understand the valuable role of the Space Council and the vast benefits that come from a team-like approach between it, the Department of War, the Department of Transportation, the Commerce Department, the FAA, Space Force and NASA.
Internally, the Trump White House team and then Deputy OMB Director Russ Vought also instructed federal agencies to eliminate low-value tasks and streamline bureaucracy. A 2018 directive from the Office of Management and Budget titled “Shifting from Low-Value to High-Value Work” directed departments to cut compliance burden and streamline processes - exactly the kind of government-wide guidance NASA leadership needed to move faster with fixed resources. President Trump urged departments to shift resources away from red-tape overhead and toward mission-critical work. For NASA, that meant fewer internal obstacles between design labs and launch pads. I saw firsthand a NASA workforce that was energized and united behind President Trump’s leadership.
SPACE POLICY DIRECTIVES AND THE ARTEMIS ACCORD
During his first term, President Trump issued seven Space Policy Directives, which expedited NASA's trajectory to the moon and beyond. These directives instructed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon, reform America’s commercial space regulatory framework, and establish cybersecurity principles for space systems. It also created the Space Force, which is critical for preparing the Department of War for evolving warfighting conditions and expanding Americas capabilities. President Trump has long gained recognition for making calculated moves that are often described as playing 4D chess, and NASA was no exception.
The President also created the Artemis Accords, a signature win for NASA as well as the entire space community. Launched in October 2020, the Artemis Accords created a U.S.-led set of principles guiding how nations explore and operate on the Moon and beyond to which over 50 countries have signed on. The initiative encouraged cooperation, transparency, and responsible resource use among partner countries. It stands as a major diplomatic and strategic victory for Trump, solidifying America’s leadership in shaping the future of space exploration.
The goal of returning to the moon is a strategic move as it is believed to have valuable natural resources. One of those, the very rare element helium-3, is found in large quantities on the Moon and could support fusion energy production on Earth for centuries. This resource has also attracted interest from China and Russia, which is concerning considering their refusal to sign the Artemis Accords. Securing these vital future resources first is one of many reasons why a return to the moon is critical for our country.
As a result of President Trump’s incredible leadership and vision for the future, NASA is advancing its Artemis program to bring humans back to the Moon and working toward a permanent lunar base as a steppingstone for future exploration of Mars. The Artemis I mission launched successfully on November 16, 2022. Artemis II, the first crewed Orion flight on a ten-day mission around the Moon, is scheduled in 2026.
This can be traced back to NASA’s own 2018 Strategic Plan from my time as NASA CFO. It laid out a clear roadmap: humans to the Moon first, using commercial and allied partners, then onward to Mars. Under the Trump-era vision, Artemis was real, not just aspirational.
NASA IN THE BIDEN ERA
In contrast, the period 2021-2024 under the Joe Biden administration saw NASA lose focus and momentum. The 2022 NASA Strategic Plan emphasized wide-ranging themes - “Discover, Explore, Innovate, Advance” - and placed stronger emphasis on staff inclusivity, Earth science and DEI initiatives. Internal struggles ensued, critics argued the clarity of destination and the schedule slipped as needless bureaucracy expanded. Unlike the well-oiled Trump NASA, the Biden version saw the Artemis timeline become uncertain, costs rise, and independent auditors signal significant schedule delays.
NASA WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP BACK IN CHARGE
Now, with President Trump’s return, NASA enjoys renewed clarity. The blueprint is already in place from his first term: bold lunar objectives, a fully functioning Space Council, renewed focus on cost savings and accountability with commercial partners, and an agency empowered to move quickly. What’s needed most is for all levels of leadership within NASA to understand the power of Trump’s vision and to treat space as strategic - not simply symbolic.
President Trump has taken tactical measures to support the strengthening of competition in the space industry, knowing that competition drives down cost for the American people. He also realizes that America must take the lead in new space-based industries, space exploration, and advanced defense systems, rather than letting adversaries set the pace. The commercial space sector boosts economic growth, supports innovative technologies, and helps achieve federal goals for exploring space.
PROMOTING COMMERCIAL SPACE INNOVATION
President Trump recognized the significance of promoting innovation to sustain America's leadership in space exploration. During Trump’s first term, I worked to grow a newly established program within the Chief Technology Office at NASA Headquarters. The initiative, NASA iTech, was developed to identify disruptive technologies that could address challenges both in commercial sectors and in space applications. Under the direction of former Program Executive Kira Blackwell, NASA iTech fostered collaboration among government agencies, entrepreneurs, commercial companies, and investors.
Over its four-year tenure, NASA iTech partnered with various organizations - including the then-Department of Defense (now Department of War), Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Citi Global, and Canon - and selected sixty companies as finalists. These organizations have since secured approximately $6 billion in non-government private investor funding to advance their technological developments. This is money NASA did not have to spend for work that advances our space interests, a huge win that shows why it pays to have a very successful businessman as our President teamed with a successful businessman in leadership at NASA. Although the program concluded after the 2020 elections, the selected companies continue to advance, reflecting the incredible long-term impact of support for innovative initiatives during President Trump's administration.
Building upon his commercial space industry success, President Trump recently signed a new executive order on August 13, 2025 to further streamline regulations and foster a competitive commercial space industry, ensuring the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space. The Executive Order instructs various federal agencies to streamline environmental reviews and regulatory requirements for space launch and reentry permits, eliminating outdated or duplicate rules. It calls for coordination among agencies to speed up spaceport development and authorize new space activities, creating positions within the Department of Transportation to support commercial space innovation, and appoints an Associate Administrator at the FAA to foster regulatory reform. Another huge win for NASA and America.
NASA WILL AGAIN BE GREAT UNDER TRUMP
President Trump’s track record shows he will once again make NASA a highly successful organization. I am honored to have been part of President Trump’s team which, under his leadership, demonstrated NASA’s ability to deliver on its commitments. It is time to reignite American leadership in space. Under Trump, NASA can and will be strong again - because it will be focused, nimble, and accountable.
Jeff DeWit is a husband, father, businessman, MBA. 14-year business CEO, former Trump appointed and U.S. Senate confirmed NASA CFO, former elected State Treasurer of Arizona, and former Trump Campaign COO & CFO.
