Trump re-nominates Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, to head NASA after internal review

President Donald Trump on Tuesday re-nominated billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, an ally of Elon Musk, to lead NASA, months after he withdrew his initial candidacy in May over what he called "a thorough review of past partnerships."

Isaacman, founder of payments company Shift4 and commander of two private space missions, is a key figure within the new space economy.

"This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "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. Congratulations to Jared, his wife Monica, and their children, Mila and Liv."

The businessman had originally been nominated in December 2024, before Trump took office, but the Republican president decided to temporarily withdraw his nomination after a clash with Musk, who was then leading a White House effort to reduce the size of the federal government.

According to reports, the decision may have been related to Isaacman's previous donations to Democratic politicians, although the White House never confirmed that version to the press. With this new nomination, Trump reinforces his bid for a NASA more oriented to collaboration with the private sector and U.S. leadership in the space race. Some also argue that the nomination is proof that Trump and Musk finally ironed out the kinks.