Jared Isaacman no longer in running for NASA Administrator role, per White House

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2 days ago

(This article has been updated to include a statement by Isaacman released to the public and a Truth Social post from President Trump.)
With the new NASA budget proposal that includes deep cuts heading to Congress and NASA still without a leader, a surprise twist came May 31: Jared Isaacman was being dropped as President Trump's choice to become the next NASA administrator.
Isaacman's confirmation as the head of NASA had been expected Monday. But instead the White House announced Isaacman was no longer in the running. Trump said on Truth Social that he will propose a new nominee.
"After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space."
The associations that Trump was referring to appeared to be political donations that Isaacman had given in the past to Democrats, according to media reports.
Back on April 30, Isaacman, the businessman-turned-SpaceX astronaut was voted favorably on by a Senate committee with a vote of 19-9, moving his confirmation ahead for a final vote. He'd appeared to have won the support of many in the space community and in Congress.
"The Trump Administration offered an unconventional and inspired choice in Jared Isaacman to lead NASA forward. It is unfortunate that the nomination was rescinded so late in the process. NASA has already been suffering from lack of leadership at the top since the start of the second Trump Administration," said Laura Forczyk, a space consultant.
Many space industry leaders and astronauts argued that Isaacman would bring the right vision to NASA at a time when the space agency faces a challenge from China for supremacy in space. His close association with SpaceX's Elon Musk prompted some questions but didn't seem to be a stumbling block.
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This sudden shakeup in who Trump wants to lead NASA comes as the NASA budget looks headed toward some deep cuts. The White House's budget proposal calls for slashing NASA science, and cancelling the SLS moon rocket after the Artemis III mission as well as dropping the Gateway lunar space station.
On the night of May 31, Isaacman released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), in which he thanked President Trump and the Senate. Isaacman said America and NASA deserve a dedicated NASA Administrator.
"The past six months have been enlightening and, honestly, a bit thrilling," Isaacman wrote. "I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government and the weight our political leaders carry."
He added: "I have not flown my last mission — whatever form that may ultimately take — but I remain incredibly optimistic that humanity's greatest spacefaring days lie ahead."
Isaacman has been to space twice under his private SpaceX-based spaceflight ventures, Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn. Both missions flew on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets and Dragon capsules.
The most recent expedition drew plenty of headlines in September 2024 when Isaacman flew with an all-civilian crew of amateur spacefarers in a SpaceX Dragon − two of whom were SpaceX employees.
During the mission, known as Polaris Dawn, the four-member crew ascended to 870 miles above Earth's surface – higher than any crewed vehicle has traveled since NASA's Apollo era ended in the 1970s. Two days into the mission, they became the first non-government astronauts to complete a spacewalk when both Isaacman and crew member Sarah Gillis exited the Dragon capsule separately for about 10 minutes each to take in the endless black expanse of outer space. The purpose of the spacewalk was to test the SpaceX spacesuit, making it the first spacewalk by a private company.
Isaacman being dropped as Trump's proposed nominee came a day after Musk stood in the Oval Office with Trump to announce that he was stepping back from his intense work leading the Department of Government Efficiency. While Musk has come under heavy criticism, Trump continued to speak highly of the billionaire.
Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at [e-mail] or on X: @brookeofstars.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Jared Isaacman dropped by White House as choice to be NASA Administrator