President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is again nominating billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, months after he abruptly withdrew Isaacman's name from consideration in May.
“Jared's passion for space, experience as an astronaut, and commitment to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing a new space economy make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era,” Trump said in a statement. publish to Truth Social.
If confirmed, Isaacman will take over leadership of NASA from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has served as the space agency's interim administrator since July.
Isaacman, 42, is seen as a relative outsider heading the space agency. Founder and CEO of payment processing company Shift4, Isaacman has never worked for NASA or the federal government.
However, he has flown into space twice on commercial SpaceX missions. Isaacman financed both of these spaceflights himself for an undisclosed amount.
Trump initially announced Isaacman as his December 2024 candidate. But five months later he withdrew the nomination after what he called “a careful analysis of previous associations.” Trump did not provide details, but some Republicans have expressed concern that Isaacman has previously donated to Democrats.
Isaacman, if confirmed this time, will lead NASA at a time of great upheaval at the space agency. Like other parts of the federal government, NASA has undergone deep cuts in funding and personnel as part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
Since President Trump returned to office, NASA has cut about one-fifth of its workforce, including more than 2,000 senior employees. Last month the agency JPL announces 550 job cutswhich represents about 10% of its workforce.
The space agency also faces the possibility of deep budget cuts. President Trump's budget plan proposed cutting NASA funding by more than $6 billion, or about 24%. As the government shutdown continues, many questions about NASA's future remain unanswered.
This turmoil is playing out against the backdrop of a new space race between the United States and China. Both countries are vying to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. NASA wants to land astronauts there in 2027, although that date has been pushed back in the past and could happen again. Meanwhile, China has said it plans to land its astronauts on the lunar surface by 2030.
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, was once a close ally of Trump and was a vocal supporter of Isaacman when Trump first nominated him. Trump's decision to withdraw the nomination coincided with a public and ugly feud between Musk and the president.
This time, Trump's announcement to renominate Isaacman comes two weeks after Musk attacked Duffy on X, a social media platform Musk owns.
NASA's interim administrator drew Musk's ire when he announced the agency would award the contract currently held by SpaceX to build a lunar lander, allowing bids from rival companies.
In 2021, SpaceX received a $2.9 billion contract to use its Starship rocket system to land two astronauts on the lunar surface for NASA's Artemis III mission, scheduled to launch in 2027. But Duffy said SpaceX is lagging behind and the government is looking to encourage competition.
Musk reached out to X to express his dissatisfaction with Duffy's statements, calling him “Sean the Dummy” and claiming that the acting administrator was “trying to kill NASA.”
SpaceX's business is closely intertwined with NASA. Beyond plans to go to the moon, the space agency relies heavily on Musk's company to fly astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station.
