Former President Donald Trump announced late Saturday that he is pulling back the nomination of billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. The decision, according to Trump, came after a “thorough review” of Isaacman’s “prior associations,” though no further explanation was provided, and the White House did not comment on the specifics.
“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA,” Trump posted on his social media platform. “I will soon announce a new nominee who will be mission-aligned and put America First in space.”
Isaacman, a known associate of Elon Musk and a private spaceflight pioneer, responded with gratitude, thanking Trump and the Senate. He called the experience over the past six months “enlightening and, honestly, a bit thrilling.”
“There are many competent, dedicated people who love this country and care deeply about NASA’s mission,” Isaacman said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “That was evident during my confirmation hearing, where bipartisan support was clear.”
Isaacman, 42, is the founder and CEO of Shift4, a payment processing company, and has worked closely with Musk’s SpaceX, becoming the first private citizen to lead a full civilian spaceflight in 2021. He also completed the first private spacewalk and has purchased multiple missions through SpaceX, which holds major contracts with NASA.
His nomination, originally announced by Trump in December, had advanced through the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in April and was awaiting a full Senate vote.
Musk responded to the news by praising Isaacman online, calling him “competent and good-hearted.” Musk, a key Trump adviser and donor, recently stepped down from his role leading the Trump-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which was formed to reduce the size of the federal government.
The decision to rescind Isaacman’s nomination was first reported by news outlet Semafor.
A new NASA administrator nominee is expected to be named soon as the Trump team continues to reshape the leadership of federal agencies ahead of a potential second term.
