White House pulls NASA administrator nominee Jared Isaacman, billionaire with Elon Musk ties; President Trump to pick replacement

WASHINGTON — The White House has retracted the nomination of Jared Isaacman for the role of NASA administrator, just a few days before the Senate was set to vote on his confirmation.

“The upcoming NASA leader must fully support President Trump’s America First policy. President Trump will soon announce a new nominee,” stated Liz Huston, a White House spokesperson.

Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4, known for payment processing, has an extensive relationship with Musk and collaborated with SpaceX on commercial space missions.

RELATED | Trump gives Elon Musk an Oval Office sendoff, crediting him with ‘colossal change’

During his confirmation hearing in April with the Senate’s Commerce Committee, Isaacman stated he would “prioritize sending American astronauts to Mars.”

Isaacman attempted to distance himself from Musk during his confirmation hearing as he was getting grilled by Democrats on the committee.

Jared Isaacman speaks at a news conference after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center for a private human spaceflight mission in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Aug. 19, 2024.

Jared Isaacman speaks at a news conference after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center for a private human spaceflight mission in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Aug. 19, 2024.

(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Musk and Trump have emphasized their desire to prioritize Mars, whereas Isaacman clarified during questioning that a lunar landing would take precedence over a Mars mission.

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