When Donald Trump made his decision over the weekend to appoint billionaire professional astronaut Jared Isaacman as his successor to the next NASA administrator, he surprised allies.
Following a assurance reading before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in April, the Senate had been scheduled to vote on Isaacman’s nomination this year. However, according to White House officials, Isaacman’s prior support for Democrats largely tied the government’s fingers.
The Administrator of NASA will direct the effort to place the American flag on Mars, according to a speech from White House spokesperson Liz Huston. It’s crucial that the next NASA chief aligns fully with President Trump’s America First strategy, and a replacement may be named by President Trump quickly.
White House officials cited a report from the Washington Examiner in January that detailed Isaacman’s more than$ 322,000 in funds to Democrats since 2010. Between 2022 and 2024, more than$ 100, 000 were donated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, including$ 100, 000 to the super PAC of the then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY ) in 2021. Additionally, White House officials cited Isaacman’s support for withdrawing from the election as reasons for having a Russian MiG-29 fighter plane, which is likely the only one discreetly owned in America.
When he made his decision on Saturday night, Trump didn’t particularly discuss Isaacman’s previous funds.
After conducting a thorough analysis of previous associations, he announced on Truth Social that he would withdraw Jared Isaacman’s nomination for NASA’s head of operations. He also said that he would reveal a new candidate who would place America first in space. ” Thank you for paying attention to this issue”!
However, numerous Republican congressional staffers, all of whom are devoted supporters of the president, and aerospace industry insiders claim that the rising tension between the late fired Elon Musk, who had worked behind the scenes to support Isaacman’s nomination, and additional senior members of the president’s team, played a role in the personnel choice.
Trump made his initial announcements about his ideas to select Isaacman, encouraged by Musk’s backing, before taking office in December of 2024. The Senate GOP employees informed the Washington Examiner that Isaacman and another potential candidates for NASA had to go through a shortened vetting process because the decision was made before the Trump administration could establish its Office of National Personnel.
Musk left his position as a specific government worker on Friday, but not after getting into a fight with Trump Cabinet authorities regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed slash-and-burn cuts to the national workforce. One senior aeronautical professional claimed to the Washington Examiner that Sergio Gor and another senior Trump advisors saw the Isaacman election as a way to settle the matter with Musk.
This was just a strength play, the actual people in charge of the White House telling Elon that” we’re running things,” the person said.
White House officials strongly refrained from pointing fingers at Musk’s withdrawal and any issues he had with Trump’s cabinet that led to the president’s choice for Isaacman.
Former Air Force Lt. Gen. Steven Kwast was touted as Isaacman’s heir apparent by both Senate GOP assistants and aerospace officials.
Kwast, a painted pilot and original Air Force commander, has vehemently supported Trump’s efforts to release both the Golden Dome missile defense system and the Space Force in his first year in office.
Additionally, Kwast has stated that area may become a crucial battle in upcoming conflicts with China and that Beijing’s plans to develop “global reach” aircraft are alarming.
China’s plans to develop these fast technologies are not surprising, to be sure. He co-wrote the article that was published by Newsmax in May, noting that China is far away in developing and flying hypersonic  arms.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has long been a proponent of British place supremacy, told the Washington Examiner that he had not spoken to the president about his next step in the direction of NASA but gave Kwast a full backing to take that position if needed.
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” I have worked with Kwast for centuries. He was the beautiful surroundings university’s director. He would make an incredible chief at NASA, he said on Monday, and he is probably the most forward-looking Air Force common I’ve ever worked with.
