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Reuters

The White House withdrew on Saturday its nominee for Nasa administrator, Jared Isaacman, abruptly yanking a close ally of Elon Musk from consideration to lead the space agency.
President Donald Trump said he would announce a new candidate soon.
“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head Nasa,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.
“I will soon announce a new nominee who will be mission aligned, and put America First in space.”
Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut who had been Musk’s pick to lead Nasa, was due next week for a much-delayed confirmation vote before the US Senate. His removal from consideration caught many in the space industry by surprise.
Trump and the White House did not explain what led to the decision.
“It may not always be obvious through the discourse and turbulence, but there are many competent, dedicated people who love this country and care deeply about the mission,” Isaacman said in a social media post.
“That was on full display during my hearing, where leaders on both sides of the aisle made clear they’re willing to fight for the world’s most accomplished space agency.
“I am incredibly grateful to President Trump, the Senate and all those who supported me.”
His removal comes days after Musk’s official departure from the White House, where the SpaceX CEO’s role as a “special government employee” leading the Department of Government Efficiency created turbulence for the administration and frustrated some of Trump’s aides.
Semafor reported the news earlier.


Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to a person familiar with his reaction, Musk was disappointed by Isaacman’s removal.
“It is rare to find someone so competent and good-hearted,” Musk wrote of Isaacman on social media, responding to the news.
It was unclear whom the administration might tap to replace Isaacman.
One name being floated is retired US Air Force lieutenant general Steven Kwast, an early advocate for the setting-up of the US Space Force and Trump supporter, according to three people familiar with the discussions.
Isaacman, the former CEO of payment processor company Shift4, had broad space industry support but faced concerns from lawmakers over his ties to Musk and SpaceX, where he spent hundreds of millions of dollars as an early private space flight customer.
The former nominee had donated to Democrats in prior elections. In his confirmation hearing in April, he sought to balance Nasa’s existing moon-aligned space exploration strategy with pressure to shift the agency’s focus on Mars, saying the US can plan for travel to both destinations.
As a potential leader of Nasa’s roughly 18,000 employees, Isaacman faced a daunting task of implementing that decision to prioritise Mars, given that Nasa has spent years and billions of dollars trying to return its astronauts to the moon.
On Friday, the space agency released new details of the Trump administration’s 2026 budget plan that proposed killing dozens of space science programmes and laying off thousands of employees, a controversial overhaul that space advocates and lawmakers described as devastating for Nasa.
Montana Republican Tim Sheehy, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, wrote on social media that Isaacman “was a strong choice by President Trump to lead Nasa” in response to reports of his departure.
“I was proud to introduce Jared at his hearing and strongly oppose efforts to derail his nomination,” Sheehy said.


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Donald Trump

Donald Trump to replace his nominee for Nasa head

Jared Isaacman, founder and chief executive officer of Shift4 Payments, stands for a portrait in front of the recovered first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in Hawthorne, California, in February 2021. Photo: AFP

Drug claims overshadow Elon Musk’s farewell with Trump in the Oval Office

Elon Musk listens as US President Donald Trump (not pictured) speaks during a news conference in the Oval Office on Friday. Photo: AP

US President Donald Trump (right) presents a key to Elon Musk during a news conference in the Oval Office on Friday. Photo: AP

Elon Musk holds up a chainsaw onstage during the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbour, Maryland, in February. Photo: Reuters

Elon Musk sets ambitious 2026 target for first uncrewed Starship voyage to Mars

Reaching Mars hinges on whether Starship can accomplish a number of challenging technical feats. File photo: Nasa via Reuters

A Starship test-launch in 2024. File photo: SpaceX via AFP

SpaceX Starship tumbles out of control and breaks apart in latest test setback

SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its Super Heavy booster. Photo: Reuters

This screengrab from SpaceX live shows the SpaceX Starship rocket launching from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. SpaceX launched its next test flight of its Starship megarocket -- the linchpin of founder Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions -- after the vessel’s last two outings ended in fiery explosions. The launch window opened at 6:30 pm (2330 GMT) from the company’s Starbase facility near a southern Texas village that recently voted to become a city, also called Starbase. Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, Starship is the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built, and it carries Musk’s hopes of making humanity a multi-planetary species. (Photo by SPACEX / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / SPACEX “ - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Satellites were supposed to be deployed during the flight, but that failed. Photo: AP

 SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft atop its Super Heavy booster, before the latest launch. Photo: Reuters

Trump picks billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead Nasa

Inspiration4 crew member Jared Isaacman in orbit in September. Photo: SpaceX

SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn Falcon 9 rocket blasts off from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in September. Photo: AFP

Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman poses in front of the recovered first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket at SpaceX in California in February 2021. Photo: AFP

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Original pick Jared Isaacman, a billionaire with ties to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, was only days away from his planned Senate confirmation vote


Original pick Jared Isaacman, a billionaire with ties to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, was only days away from his planned Senate confirmation vote.


Donald Trump to replace his nominee for Nasa head

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Original pick Jared Isaacman, a billionaire with ties to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, was only days away from his planned Senate confirmation vote

Original pick Jared Isaacman, a billionaire with ties to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, was only days away from his planned Senate confirmation vote