Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who is also serving as interim NASA Director, announced plans for NASA to build a moon base as part of a national security strategy. Duffy emphasized that space, while ideally peaceful, can be exploited for harmful purposes, stating that "whoever controls space is going to control Earth." This initiative aligns with the Trump administration's goal to return to the moon and establish a permanent presence there, with the intent to maintain American leadership in space and outpace competitors such as China. Meanwhile, NASA's Astrophysics division is experiencing considerable leadership turnover, with acting director Shawn Domagal-Goldman indicating that further departures are expected. Additionally, Duffy has suggested a shift in NASA's focus away from Earth science, despite the agency's longstanding role in climate science and Earth observation, which have provided critical benefits for understanding both our planet and others.