Space Cadet Dropped: Trump Bins Patron Musk's Bid for NASA Helm
NASA nominee Isaacman's candidacy rescinded by the White House. - NASA nominee Isaacman's appointment rescinded by the White House, referring to Elon Musk's close associate.
In a move that'll grab headlines, it's been confirmed by the White House that they've axed billionaire Jared Isaacman, neck-deep in SpaceX ties, from the running for NASA Administrator. The New York Times broke the story, informing us that the reason behind this surprising decision was Trump's discovery of Isaacman's past donations to Democratic Party politicos.
Old POTUS took to Truth Social to share his two cents. He wrote, "After a deep dive into the past, I hereby revoke Jared Isaacman's candidacy for NASA's top spot. Soon, I'll announce a candidate who's a perfect fit for the mission, prioritizing America in the cosmos."
Isaacman is big on tech, leading the charge for payment service Shift4 and military servicing aerospace company Draken International. With 42 years under his belt, he's tight with Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO who recently vacated his advisory position in the government. You guessed it – Isaacman has twice ventured into the great unknown courtesy of Musk's space company.
Musk, a vocal Isaacman supporter who's business-bound with SpaceX, whispered sweet nothings about his pal in the ears of the former POTUS. However, with talk of conflicts of interest, it's anyone's guess if that played a part in the decision. Musk, ever the loyalist, expressed on X that Isaacman was "a genius and generous [individual] who deserves this opportunity."
Up until April, Isaacman had been spouting his ambitious plans for NASA. Hoping to send American astronauts over the Martian horizon, Isaacman advocated for simultaneous moon and Mars missions at a Senate hearing. "If America's willing to fund NASA, we might as well tackle the seemingly impossible," Isaacman had emphasized. In September, he made history by becoming the first non-professional spacewalker, testing fancy duds courtesy of SpaceX outside a Dragon ship.
Trump's been dreaming of planting the Stars and Stripes on Mars for quite some time now. SpaceX, with its close partnership with the US government, is planning an uncrewed Mars expedition starring an android habitant by the year's end. Should this mission go off without a hitch, manned Mars voyages could commence as early as 2029 - though 2031 seems more realistic according to Musk. NASA recently changed its mind on the first manned lunar landing in over half a century, now rescheduling it for mid-2027.
Remember when Musk helped Trump slash government expenses after he took the oath? The tech guru was an advisor to Trump for just four months before he called it quits, bidding a fond farewell a few days ago at the White House.
- NASA
- Administrator
- Donald Trump
- Elon Musk
- White House
- Nomination
- SpaceX
- USA
- America
- "Truth Social"
- Moon
- Mars
- New York Times
Sources:[1] NYT[2] BBC News[3] CNN[4] Space.com
- Despite Elon Musk's backing, Jared Isaacman's nomination for NASA Administrator by Donald Trump has been revoked, as reported by the New York Times.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation and politics, Trump's decision to withdraw Isaacman's nomination for NASA's top spot appears to be influenced by his discovery of Isaacman's past donations to Democratic Party politicos.
- The nomination controversy surrounding Jared Isaacman and potential conflicts of interest come after Elon Musk, who has collaborated with SpaceX and the US government, recently vacated his advisory position in the Trump administration.
