Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly withdrawn his support for Jared Isaacman as the next administrator of NASA, citing concerns over Isaacman’s connections to Elon Musk and his recent political donations. Trump’s comments, made in a July 6 post on Truth Social, come more than a month after he formally pulled Isaacman’s nomination, originally announced in December 2024.
In his post, Trump said it would have been “inappropriate” for Isaacman to lead the space agency, alleging that the businessman is a “blue-blooded Democrat” and a close associate of Musk, whose company SpaceX is a key NASA partner. However, public records contradict part of Trump’s claims, showing that Isaacman has donated to both Republican and Democratic candidates, including Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), now chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
Isaacman, founder of Shift4 and commander of two private spaceflights with SpaceX, has previously denied any personal relationship with Musk. Responding to questions from lawmakers during his Senate confirmation process in April, Isaacman stated that his interactions with Musk have been strictly professional and limited to his role as a commercial astronaut. He also clarified that it was the Trump transition team—not Musk—who approached him about the NASA role.
Despite those clarifications, Trump echoed concerns raised during the confirmation process by some Democratic senators, who questioned potential conflicts of interest. “I also thought it inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon, who was in the Space Business, run NASA, when NASA is such a big part of Elon’s corporate life,” Trump wrote.
Notably, Trump had praised Isaacman just months earlier, calling him “ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era” due to his spaceflight experience and enthusiasm for space exploration. He has not explained why those concerns about potential conflicts were not raised at the time of Isaacman’s nomination.
Since Trump formally withdrew Isaacman’s nomination on May 31, he has yet to name a replacement. In the interim, NASA continues to be led by Acting Administrator Janet Petro, director of the Kennedy Space Center. Petro affirmed her commitment to the role during a NASA employee town hall on June 25, saying, “I will continue to lead NASA until a new leader is installed, and I take that responsibility to heart.”
At the same meeting, NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes acknowledged the leadership gap and indicated that a new nominee might not be confirmed for another six to nine months. He also suggested that the timeline could be accelerated if the White House prioritizes the nomination process.
While speculation continues over who may be tapped to lead the space agency, Trump’s recent comments have stirred renewed debate over how political considerations and corporate relationships may influence future NASA leadership decisions.