President Trump announced that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will head NASA on an interim basis.
“I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.
“Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again,” the president said. “He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time.”
“Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!”
Duffy, a 53-year-old former congressman from Wisconsin, said he was “honored to accept this mission.”
“Time to take over space. Let’s launch,” the transportation chief wrote on X.
In late May, Trump abruptly yanked his nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman – an ally of Elon Musk – to lead NASA days before his expected Senate confirmation vote.
The surprise move came in response to a “review” of Isaacman’s history, the president said.
“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA,” Trump wrote in a May 31 Truth Social post.
Isaacman has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and causes as recently as October 2024, when he gave more than $41,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Federal Election Commission records show.
He also contributed $100,000 in 2021 to a political action committee linked to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Isaacman, who has been to space twice on treks that he funded, has widely been seen as a close ally of Musk since purchasing a space flight via SpaceX in 2021.
He was also part of SpaceX’s 2024 Polaris Dawn crew that conducted the first private spacewalk.
Several White House insiders attribute the pulling of Isaacman’s nomination – which was suggested to the president by director of presidential personnel Sergio Gor – for helping trigger Musk’s public falling out with Trump, The Post reported last month.
