Catholic University Provost, Vice Provost Among National Science Board Members Fired by Trump
By Patrick D. Lewis
President Donald J. Trump on Friday sent letters to all 22 currently serving members of the National Science Board informing them that they had been fired from the board. The board’s chair and vice chair both serve as Catholic University administrators.
The National Science Board (NSB) oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent U.S. Government agency charged with overseeing federal science grants and research. The foundation has a budget of nearly $10 billion and was led by its chair, Victor McCrary, who was hired by The Catholic University of America and named the school’s first-ever Vice Provost for National Security Innovation in October 2025. He previously worked at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).
The board’s vice chair, Aaron Dominguez, is Catholic University’s Provost and Executive Vice President, positions he has held since 2019. Dominguez started at CUA in 2016 as dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.
The Washington Post reported Sunday that each of the members of the board received letters informing them that the White House Presidential Personnel Office has terminated their positions, effective immediately, with no reason given. Board members normally serve for a six-year term.
The Hill reported that the move was condemned by some Democratic lawmakers who saw it as another step in Trump’s effort to downsize the federal government, which has already claimed tens of thousands of jobs. The Trump Administration has also frozen or completely removed millions of dollars in federal science grants, many of which had been destined for universities and institutes labeled by the administration as left-leaning.
Dominguez is a physics professor, and McCrary is a chemist. Dominguez’s office has been vocal about increasing the research activity undertaken at Catholic University and has significantly expanded administrative positions related to research at the university, including the creation of McCrary’s position, the title of senior vice provost for research, and others. Many of those additions happened in the school’s push for R1 research status, which it achieved early last year.
Catholic University has so far avoided losing any funding due to the Trump Administration’s cuts.
