The White House has withdrawn the nomination of billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), just days before a scheduled Senate vote.
Isaacman, founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, was nominated by President Trump in December 2024. His nomination marked a departure from traditional NASA leadership, as he would have been the first administrator without prior government or political experience. Isaacman is known for commanding two private space missions with SpaceX, including the first all-civilian orbital flight, Inspiration4, and the Polaris Dawn mission, which featured the first private spacewalk.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House did not provide specific reasons for the withdrawal. However, officials emphasized the need for NASA’s leadership to align fully with President Trump’s “America First” agenda.
“The Administrator of 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,” a White House spokesperson told Semafor in a Saturday statement.
The decision follows concerns raised by some lawmakers regarding Isaacman’s close ties to SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk.
During his Senate confirmation hearing in April, Isaacman addressed questions about potential conflicts of interest, stating that he would prioritize NASA’s mission over any personal or commercial affiliations. Despite these assurances, some senators remained skeptical, particularly given Isaacman’s financial stake in SpaceX through Shift4 Payments.
The White House added that a new nominee for NASA administrator will be named soon. The administration seeks a candidate who aligns closely with its space exploration priorities, particularly the emphasis on Mars missions.
Isaacman has not publicly commented on the withdrawal of his nomination.
