Billionaire pilot who sparked outrage with social media post about recent flight is withdrawn by Trump for NASA: 'Don't just be a shill'
On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced he is withdrawing the nomination of billionaire pilot Jared Isaacman, who was slated to lead NASA, according to the Associated Press.
The outlet noted that Trump posted a message to social media, writing that the decision came "after a thorough review of prior associations."
Before the withdrawal, not necessarily part of Trump's concerns, a recent X post from Isaacman was making some people uneasy about the pick, and it was not hard to see why.
In late March, Isaacman posted a photo showing himself flying a Cessna CJ4 into Washington, D.C.
Futurism quickly picked up the post, and the internet lit up almost instantly. Why? Because at a time when we're all being asked to do more to fight the overheating planet (reduce car trips, fly less, eat more sustainably, recycle), this kind of flex feels like a slap in the face.
NASA has been very public about how seriously it takes the climate crisis. The agency studies sea level rise and even builds animations dedicated to visualizing air pollution. So, what's someone who aspires to lead this organization doing in a vehicle that emits two tons of carbon dioxide per hour?
While Trump did not give specific reasons for withdrawing the nomination, the timing also didn't help the optics of the initial pick. NASA is facing budget cuts and layoffs, so seeing someone with billionaire ties and luxury travel habits possibly stepping into a top role raised even more eyebrows.
X users had a lot to say about Isaacman's nomination. One wrote, "Yeah, definitely need more billionaires in government looking out for the average American." Another had asked Isaacman to "protect the agency's earth and space science missions. Don't just be a shill for Elon [Musk]."
Many people were concerned that someone so deeply connected to private space companies, including Musk's SpaceX, could have ended up putting business interests ahead of NASA's public mission, especially its work on Earth science and climate research. Can someone who chooses to fly a private fighter jet for a quick trip to D.C. really champion a science-first, climate-conscious agenda?
At the very least, opting for a commercial flight (or even taking the train) would've sent a stronger message about leading by example. According to the AP, Trump said he will announce a replacement nominee soon.
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