In brief
Donald Trump has renominated billionaire investor Jared Isaacman as NASA chief, just five months after retracting his first nomination. Isaacman, who previously became the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, is set to face Senate confirmation despite skepticism surrounding his ties to SpaceX and political donations. Observers speculate on the reasons behind Trump's reversal and Isaacman's readiness to lead NASA into a new era of space exploration.
Donald Trump has renominated billionaire investor Jared Isaacman to run NASA, five months after withdrawing his first nomination.
The 42-year-old entrepreneur, who has ties to SpaceX founder Elon Musk, had looked set to lead the space agency when Trump abruptly pulled his nomination in late May, following what the president said was a thorough review of prior associations.
While the White House did not specify what those associations were, it was during Trump's high-profile feud with Musk.
Isaacman, who is worth an estimated $1.9bn (£1.46bn), is an amateur jet pilot and also became the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space last year, on a mission with SpaceX that he bankrolled.
Why Trump has suddenly changed his mind is unclear, and the president made no mention of the past when he wrote on his Truth Social platform that he was pleased to nominate Isaacman for the role.
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, the president wrote.
The NASA administrator role will be Isaacman's first job in politics, representing a departure from the last two men appointed to the job.
It requires confirmation by the Senate, where the Republican Party holds a 53-47 majority. Even though the US government has been shut down since early October, the Senate is still able to confirm presidential nominees.
Thanking the president, Isaacman wrote on X that it will be an honor to serve in the role.
The support from the space-loving community has been overwhelming, he wrote in a long post, that also acknowledged NASA scientists and innovators.
Sean Duffy, the head of the transport department, has been interim NASA chief since July.
