What we know about Trump yanking NASA nod from Musk ally Jared Isaacman, owner of largest private air force
President Trump on Saturday abruptly yanked his nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman — an ally of Elon Musk who founded a company that has the world’s largest private air force — to helm NASA days before his expected Senate confirmation vote.The shocking move came in response to a “review” of Isaacman’s history, according to Trump, implying that his liberal record was to blame.But many prominent conservatives, including Musk, are standing by the wealthy entrepreneur.“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday.
“I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space.”The exact reasons behind the move are not entirely known.Trump has stood by key nominees such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth through various firestorms, and it is not clear that the billionaire would’ve lacked the votes.Isaacman, 42, founded payment processor Shift4 Payments and tactical fighter aircraft provider Draken International, which has the world’s largest known fleet of privately owned fighter jets.
The billionaire tech boss, who has been to space twice on treks that he funded, has widely been seen as a close ally of Musk since purchasing a space flight via SpaceX in 2021.Isaacman was part of SpaceX’s 2024 Polaris Dawn crew that conducted the first private spacewalk.SpaceX has consistently been among NASA’s largest contractors, an issue that came up repeatedly during Isaacman’s Senate confirmation hearings in April.
Musk departed his role as a special government employee last month and received a friendly send-off from Trump in the Oval Office, with the White House seemingly trying to tamp down any conjecture that the two men clashed.Trump handed Musk a golden key to honor him for his services to the Trump administration and added that “Elon is really not leaving,” predicting that the billionaire would...