President Donald Trump has defined why he pulled the nomination of Jared Isaacman for NASA chief on the final minute.
Trump introduced in December 2024 that he had chosen Isaacman, a billionaire tech entrepreneur and personal astronaut, to steer the nation’s house company. Isaacman sailed by the varied nomination steps after Trump took workplace and was set to be confirmed by the Senate in early June.
However on Could 31, the White Home pulled the rug out, asserting that Isaacman was gone. “It is important that the following chief of NASA is in full alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda, and a alternative shall be introduced instantly by President Trump quickly,” White Home spokesperson Liz Huston stated in an emailed assertion on Could 31.
Trump gave some specifics Sunday (July 6) on Fact Social, the social media community that he owns. He posted a lengthy rebuke of erstwhile supporter and ally Elon Musk, decrying the SpaceX chief’s lately revealed plans to start a new political party.
Towards the tip of that broadside, Trump addressed the NASA nomination state of affairs, saying that Musk had requested that his “shut buddy” Isaacman be given the house company’s reins.
Trump wrote that, whereas he initially thought Isaacman “was excellent,” the president “was shocked to be taught that he was a blue-blooded Democrat, who had by no means contributed to a Republican earlier than.”
“Elon in all probability was, additionally,” the president added. “I additionally thought it inappropriate {that a} very shut buddy of Elon, who was within the Area Enterprise, run NASA, when NASA is such an enormous a part of Elon’s company life.”
Isaacman pushed again in opposition to these claims in a post Monday (July 7) on X, the social media web site that Musk owns.
Isaacman — who funded and commanded two missions to Earth orbit that used SpaceX {hardware} — confused that he is aware of Musk solely in knowledgeable capability. And he stated that Trump mischaracterized his marketing campaign contributions, which he made open and obtainable all through the nomination course of.
“I’ve been comparatively apolitical — a right-leaning reasonable — and my political donations throughout each events (although 10x extra to Republicans) had been disclosed in writing, with rationale, earlier than my nomination was ever submitted to the Senate,” Isaacman wrote.
The 42-year-old billionaire, who based the payment-processing firm Shift4, took the excessive highway in his publish, as he has performed all through the tortuous nomination course of.
“Personally, I do not remorse something — it was an honor to even be thought of by the President,” Isaacman wrote. “I beloved DC and my transient time within the area. The actual disappointment is the time misplaced by Senators and employees who invested six months right into a affirmation course of that was in the end withdrawn.”
Since Trump’s inaugauration on Jan. 20, NASA has been led by Performing Administrator Janet Petro. Trump has not but named a alternative for Isaacman.
