At an emotional meeting, foundation officials announced layoffs for about 10 percent of their workforce and warned of more firings to come.

Firings at the NSF included permanent employees who had already completed their one-year probationary period, as well as at-will workers.

The National Science Foundation fired 168 employees on Tuesday. According to an NSF spokesperson, the firings are to ensure compliance with President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce in the name of efficiency.