The Trump administration is pulling the nomination of commercial astronaut and entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to be the next NASA administrator just days before he was scheduled to get a confirmation vote in the Senate, according to Semafor.
Isaacman went through the hearing process with the Senate’s Commerce Committee last month, and the Senate Majority Leader, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, took action to have votes take place on his nomination as the Senate returns next week after the Memorial Day recess. The Commerce Committee voted on April 30 to advance Isaacman’s nomination to the full Senate.
“The Administrator of NASA will help lead humanity into space and execute President Trump’s bold mission of planting the American flag on the planet Mars,” White House spokesperson Liz Huston told Semafor. “It’s essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda and a replacement will be announced directly by President Trump soon.”
Isaacman’s supporters started sharing their concerns on Saturday regarding the notion that the White House could pull the nomination.
Montana Republican Senator Tim Sheehy responded to an X post by rightwing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, in which she said that “deep state operatives” were trying to “derail” the nomination.
“Astronaut and successful businessman @RookIsaacman was a strong choice by President Trump to lead NASA. I was proud to introduce Jared at his hearing and strongly oppose efforts to derail his nomination,” Sheehy wrote.
More follows…
