President Donald Trump stated there is “not much of a connection” between several missing or deceased scientists and workers in advanced research fields, pushing back against theories of a coordinated pattern.
The cases have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, federal agencies, and the public in recent weeks. Trump’s remarks appear aimed at tempering speculation that has grown despite officials failing to confirm direct links between the incidents.
“There are thousands or even hundreds of thousands of scientists working for us, so 10 is a lot, but it’s still a very small number compared to that,” Trump told reporters. He noted that some cases involved illness, natural causes, and suicide, stating “we’re finding that there’s not much of a connection.”
What Happened
Since 2022, at least 13 people connected to nuclear and space research have died or gone missing under varying circumstances. Four individuals-Monica Reza, 60; Melissa Casias, 53; Anthony Chavez, 79; and Steven Garcia, 48-disappeared between 2023 and 2026 in what investigators considered suspicious circumstances.
Seven others died between 2022 and 2026: Michael David Hicks, 59; Frank Maiwald, 61; Nuno Loureiro, 47; Jason Thomas, 45; Amy Eskridge, 34; Carl Grillmair, 47; and Joshua LeBlanc, 29. The cases gained wider public attention after retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland went missing earlier this year.
Government Response
The FBI and NASA have both launched investigations into the matter. The House Oversight Committee requested information from federal agencies on Monday regarding deaths and disappearances of at least 11 researchers with connections to NASA, SpaceX, and Blue Origin.
Committee Chairman James Comer and Rep. Eric Burlison sent letters to senior officials requesting staff-level briefings by April 27. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previously indicated the federal government would investigate the cases.
Congressional Scrutiny
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., has pushed for transparency about the deaths. “Every adversary on the planet celebrates each one we lose,” he posted on X. “We are weaker as a nation today because of these losses.”
Burlison said he asked the FBI directly about the death of Matthew Sullivan, a former Air Force intelligence officer and Bronze Star recipient who worked for the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, the NSA, and the Air Force Intelligence Agency. The FBI would neither confirm nor deny opening an investigation, he stated.
This story has been updated. CNN’s Digital Team contributed to this report.
