US President Donald Trump is pulling back his nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman to serve as Nasa administrator just days before he was set to receive a confirmation vote in the senate, said a person familiar with the decision on Saturday.
The individual spoke on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter, says AP.
Trump had announced last December during the presidential transition that Isaacman was his pick for Nasa administrator. Isaacman, founder and CEO of the payment processing company Shift4, has been closely linked to Elon Musk since he purchased his first SpaceX flight in 2021.
Isaacman has flown multiple missions with SpaceX and took part in the first private spacewalk. He testified at his senate confirmation hearing on April 9, and a committee vote on his nomination had been expected soon.
During his committee hearing, Isaacman distanced himself from Musk by pledging to prioritize a lunar landing if confirmed as Nasa administrator—a goal Musk had dismissed as a “distraction.”
Nasa has been without a senate-confirmed administrator since January 20, when Bill Nelson stepped down.
SpaceX is owned by Musk, a Trump supporter and adviser who recently stepped down from his role as head of the department of government efficiency, or DOGE. The agency, created by Trump, aimed to reduce the size of government.
Semafor was the first to report the decision to pull Isaacman’s nomination.
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