White House pulls nomination for Trump's pick to lead NASA
The White House is pulling the nomination for billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, President Trump's pick to lead NASA, just days before a 365bet官方网站 confirmation vote was set to take place.
"After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA," Mr. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday night. "I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space."
White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Huston told CBS News in an earlier statement that the next administrator for NASA will "help lead humanity into space and execute President Trump's bold mission of planting the American flag on the planet Mars."
"It's essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump's America First agenda and a replacement will be announced directly by President Trump soon," Huston said.
Huston did not give a reason as to why the White House was withdrawing its nomination.
According to OpenSecrets, Isaacman donated to Democrats throughout his career, dating from 2009 through the 2024 election.
Isaacman posted on X early Sunday that the "past six months have been enlightening and, honestly, a bit thrilling," and he said he had "gained a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government and the weight our political leaders carry."
"It may not always be obvious through the discourse and turbulence, but there are many competent, dedicated people who love this country and care deeply about the mission," Isaacman wrote. "That was on full display during my hearing, where leaders on both sides of the aisle made clear they're willing to fight for the world's most accomplished space agency."
He did not elaborate further on why his nomination was pulled.
first reported the news.
Before taking office earlier this year, Mr. Trump picked Isaacman, a veteran private astronaut with strong ties to Elon Musk and his rocket company SpaceX, to serve as NASA's next administrator. He would have been NASA's fifth administrator after former Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who flew into orbit aboard the space shuttle Columbia in early 1986.
On his X platform, Musk Saturday to a post about Isaacman's nomination being withdrawn, writing, "It is rare to find someone so competent and good-hearted."
Isaacman's nomination advanced through the 365bet官方网站's Commerce Committee in April and the 365bet官方网站 was set to vote after returning from the Memorial Day recess next week.
In a social media post after Mr. Trump's nomination announcement in December, Isaacman, 42, said NASA can expect him to be a vocal space advocate who would help "usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization."
"With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place," Isaacman said . "We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth."
