Trump just picked the billionaire who did the first private spacewalk for Elon Musk’s SpaceX to head NASA.
Jared Isaacman, a processing card company CEO and close friend of Musk, was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday.
“I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (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.”
Isaacman thanked Trump on X while previewing some of his plans, writing, “Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space.”
Isaacman’s close business relationship with Musk has raised red flags for some.
“Trump has nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman to be the next head of NASA. Isaacman is a close associate of Elon Musk and lacks government experience. And he has been to space, but only on SpaceX missions,” wrote More Perfect Union on X.
“This is a VERY pro SpaceX pro Elon pick. Isaacman has been financing Spacex missions and is a huge champion of the company,” said Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Max Chafkin.
Musk’s influence in Trump’s inner circle seems to only be growing.
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