US Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA chief
On Wednesday, the US Senate confirmed billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman as NASA's new leader, concluding a dramatic saga that began more than a year ago.
Isaacman was first tapped to lead NASA in December 2024 by then-President elect Donald Trump, but Trump abruptly withdrew the nomination five months later after “a thorough review of prior associations,” News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
In an unusual turn of events, Trump renominated Isaacman in November, saying that his experience and passion for space “make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era.”
The leadership change comes at a pivotal time for NASA, as questions persist over the space agency’s future budget and priorities. Like other government agencies, NASA is still reeling from major cuts to funding and personnel as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce.
The final confirmation vote was 67-30.
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved Isaacman’s nomination after a Dec. 3 hearing in which he spoke about the need to return NASA astronauts to the moon before China reaches the lunar surface.
Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who chairs the committee, had said he wanted Isaacman confirmed by the end of the year.
Isaacman, 42, is founder and CEO of the payment processing company Shift4 but has never worked at NASA or in the federal government. He will take control of the space agency from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who had served as NASA’s interim administrator since July.
During his hearing before the Senate committee, Isaacman said he is focused on returning to the moon and winning the new space race with China. Both countries want to establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface, but NASA’s Artemis program has faced numerous delays and cost-overruns. China’s space program, meanwhile, has advanced at a furious pace in recent years.
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