In a heartfelt social media post late on Halloween night, Dan Scavino, the longest-serving aide to the president, lauded billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as a “class act” and a “patriot.” Scavino shared these sentiments on X, his personal social media profile, as a response to Isaacman’s rationale for contributing to both Democratic and Republican causes while still supporting President Donald Trump in the upcoming 2024 election.

Scavino’s public praise of Isaacman came against a backdrop of intense internal debates within the administration, as officials grappled with the president’s impending decision. Although Scavino’s message was not an official endorsement, it fueled speculation in Washington. Known for his enthusiasm for NASA, Scavino’s admiration for Isaacman, a visionary in the aerospace sector at 42, was evident.

By Tuesday, President Trump had announced his decision to reinstate Isaacman’s nomination, concluding a tumultuous five-month saga that had initially stemmed from a disagreement between the president and Elon Musk. This decision underscored the unique political dynamics of Washington, where revisiting personnel decisions is a rare occurrence.

Scavino’s post was not an official endorsement, but the late Friday night post on X confirmed what many in Washington speculated. Scavino, a widely-known NASA enthusiast, was a fan of Isaacman, 42, and his vision for the agency.

On Tuesday, Trump announced the decision to restore Isaacman’s nomination, ending a grueling five-month ordeal that began with a fight between the president and Elon Musk.

His return to the agency marked an unprecedented political journey in a town that rarely revisits personnel decisions.

In May, the president canceled Isaacman’s nomination to lead NASA, widely seen as a shot at Elon Musk, who was a fan of Isaacman, but had publicly turned on the president with deeply personal and angry posts on social media.

The decision to pull Isaacman’s nomination was believed to be the movements of then-director of personnel, Sergio Gor, who resented Musk’s betrayal of the president.

‘It was a real bummer,’ Isaacman told the All-In podcast after the president made his decision adding that he had a ‘pretty good idea’ of why his nomination was pulled but did not fault Trump for his decision.

‘I want to be overwhelmingly clear: I don’t fault the president,’ he said.

That earned him respect from powerful forces inside the White House, who were quietly working to get him back in the fold.

Chief among Isaacman’s supporters was Vice President JD Vance, who was impressed with the young billionaire’s vision. 

But officials were cautious about lobbying too much, at the risk of alienating Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, and Trump allowed both men to make the case.

The president’s NASA decision was subject to intense lobbying as tech visionaries continue to dream of real progress in the agency, now famous for getting bogged down by bureaucratic malaise.

Just as Trump shook up the political establishment, Isaacman earned the support of many influential MAGA interests for his willingness to reform NASA.

After Gor left the White House to be the new ambassador to India, Isaacman boosters again began to quietly sell the president again on the idea.

Montana Senator Tim Sheehy spoke to the president personally about his support for Isaacman, during an October meeting with senators in the Rose Garden.

He told the Daily Mail that while Duffy had done ‘excellent work,’ he supported Isaacman for the job, citing him as ‘one of the smartest people in America’ who had critical experience and vision to lead the agency.

‘After decades of putting space dominance on the back burner, NASA is in desperate need of rejuvenation. I believe Jared is the perfect person for the job,’ he added.

Trump met with Isaacman three times in recent weeks to discuss restoring him to the leadership of the agency, according to a source close to the White House.

Isaacman remained cautious and reserved about the position, quietly waiting for the president to make a decision.

But he has also spent more time talking to influential conservative media figures about his ideas for space exploration.

In July he participated in an interview with Glenn Beck and he also appeared on the Shawn Ryan Show in September to talk about his vision for NASA.

In late October, Isaacman hosted MAGA YouTube star Benny Johnson, who filmed a video showcasing the billionaire’s successful career and his ownership of dozens of fighter jets used to assist military training of fighter pilots.

But powerful lobbyist interests and some members of Congress worried that Isaacman represented a disruption to existing programs in the agency that threatened contractors and their districts.

In the days leading up to the president’s decision, one person rose up to stand in his way: Transportation Secretary Duffy – currently serving as the acting administrator of NASA.

Duffy wanted NASA to be rolled into the Department of Transportation, where he could seize control of the entire agency.

Duffy was enchanted by the idea of being the face of NASA as the agency was prepared to go back to the moon.

Working with his chief of staff Pete Meachum, Duffy fancied himself as a sufficient leader of the agency and lobbied Trump to give him the job.

Forces connected to Duffy were quietly working to undermine Isaacman in the Space contractor and lobbyist community, sources told the Daily Mail. A spokesman for Duffy did not return a request for comment.

In late October, Duffy went on Fox News to announce his decision to reopen the space race to get back to the moon, accusing Musk’s SpaceX of falling behind their efforts and announcing more companies would be allowed to compete for the job.

The goal was to get man back to the moon before the end of the president’s first term, Duffy announced.

That triggered anger from Musk who derided the temporarily NASA administrator as ‘Sean Dummy.’

Trump was not a fan of Musk popping off on social media, which only encouraged Duffy supporters to leak damaging information about Isaacman.

Isaacman supporters watched in horror as critical details from his proposed ‘Athena’ plan to revitalize NASA leaked into the media on Monday.

That document had been presented by Isaacman to Duffy and Meachum when he met with them to discuss the job. The edited 62-page plan made it into the hands of reporters.

But the White House grew impatient with the leaks, even as Duffy insisted he had nothing to do with them.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles placed a ‘stern but friendly call to Duffy’ according to Axios, telling him to ‘knock it off.’

As the war over NASA continued to escalate, the president reacted quickly, announcing his decision to bring Isaacson back into the fold, with a glowing endorsement.

‘Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,’ Trump wrote on social media.