BROOK PARK, Ohio – Northeast Ohio business leaders are pivoting from a push earlier this year to attract NASA’s headquarters and the added jobs that would come with it to now also trying to do what they can to preserve the jobs NASA Glenn now has.
Leaders from the regional chamber of commerce and the region’s chief jobs development nonprofit on Tuesday warned that President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts could cost up to 1,200 jobs at NASA Glenn and among local contractors — and they urged federal officials to reconsider.
“The decisions made in Washington over the next few weeks will decide whether America maintains leadership in air, space, energy and communications, or willingly cedes it to others,” Baiju Shah, president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership, said in the joint announcement.
“Let’s not compromise our future. Let’s fully fund NASA to protect and expand NASA Glenn.”
Trump has proposed $6.3 billion in NASA cuts, representing about 24% of the agency’s budget. Local leaders say these cuts would fall disproportionately on NASA Glenn, with the potential to lose 40% of its workforce.
The estimates for potential job losses locally were based on those being made by various organizations that closely track agency spending, Shah said during an interview. Specifics by location have not been released.
Shah was joined in the plea by Matt Dolan, CEO of TeamNEO, and J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio.
This public effort comes less than three months after Shah and Dolan joined Gov. Mike DeWine, Sen. Jon Husted and Rep. Max Miller in Cleveland to make a push to grow NASA Glenn through attracting the headquarters that may move from Washington, D.C.
“The executive budget is just the starting point of a budget, but we thought it was necessary to express our concerns,” Shah said. “(Congress) will be having hearings over the next several months, starting soon.”
Miller and Husted hold potentially powerful positions as part of the slim Republican majorities in the House and Senate that Trump likely would need support from for his budget plans. They were both yes votes as part of the recent bill that passed without any Democratic votes to boost defense and border security spending while cutting taxes, Medicaid and food stamps.
Cleveland.com has reached out to their offices for comment.
Shah said the threat of budget cuts for the local NASA facility “is a moment for bold action from Ohio’s bipartisan congressional delegation, state officials and local leaders, to protect and grow the center, not dismantle it.”

More than 80 protesters demonstrated in downtown Cleveland last month to voice opposition to proposed cuts.
The business leaders say cutting NASA Glenn would be bad for the economy.
“Shrinking NASA Glenn’s capacity ripples through our business community, impacts our talent pipelines and STEM careers, reduces our competitiveness and threatens America’s economic leadership and national security,” Dolan said. “We must champion NASA Glenn and NASA and also continue our efforts to bring more of NASA here.”
NASA traces its roots in Cleveland to 1941, originally part of NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Brook Park acquired the site in a 2001 land swap with Cleveland, as Cleveland was looking to secure property for a possible airport expansion. NASA Glenn also includes a test facility in Sandusky.
Ohio has competition, should NASA decide to move. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has encouraged relocation to Kennedy Space Center, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said he would like to see it in his state.

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