National Science Foundation headquarters, built in 2017 in Alexandria, Va.
The Trump and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-Va.) administrations are evicting the 1,833 employees of the National Science Foundation from its headquarters in Alexandria, Va. Scott Turner, Trump’s anti-housing Housing and Urban Development Secretary, is planning to take over the building.
Turner seeks to remodel the NSF headquarters, constructed in 2017 at 2415 Eisenhower Ave. in downtown Alexandria, into a private fiefdom in the mode of Trump Tower, with the 19th floor reserved for his personal use.
The union representing many NSF scientists, American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3403, announced the news on Tuesday, June 24.
ALXnow’s Ryan Belmore reports that the transition will occur over two years.
This afternoon, AFGE Local 3403 received notice that HUD Secretary Scott Turner and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin will announce HUD’s takeover of the National Science Foundation headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia tomorrow. Currently more than 1,833 NSF employees work in the building. Many were forced to relocate to Northern Virginia with very short notice and at great personal expense when return to work orders were given.AFGE Local 3403 has not been briefed on the exact details of the plan. The Union was told plans include the following:
- A dedicated executive suite for the HUD Secretary on the 19th floor.
- The construction of an executive dining room.
- Reserved parking spaces for the Secretary’s 5 cars.
- Exclusive use of one elevator for the Secretary.
- A space dedicated to hosting the Secretary’s executive assistants on the 18th floor.
- A potential gym for the HUD Secretary and his family.
While Secretary Turner and his staff are busy enjoying private dining and a custom gym, NSF employees are being displaced with no plan, no communication, and no respect. This callous disregard for taxpayer dollars and NSF employees comes after the Administration already cut NSF’s budget, staff and science grants and forced NSF employees back into the office.
This kind of let-them-eat-cake approach to government is absurd. At a time when they claim to be cutting government waste, it is unbelievable that government funding is being redirected to build a palace-like office for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The hypocrisy is truly dumbfounding.