RabaeDonald Trump has rejected billionaire investor Isaacman to run for NASA, five months after taking his first nomination.
The 42-year-old businessman, who has a relationship with Spacex Founder Elon Musk, intends to bring his nomination in late May, after what the President said is a “full review of the first partners.”
While the White House did not specify what the associations were, it was during Trump’s high profile with musk.
Isaacman, who is worth an estimated $1.9bn (£1.46bn), is an amateur jet setter and has also been the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space Last year, in a mission with spacex he prepared.
Why Trump suddenly changed his mind is not clear, and the President did not mention the past when he wrote his truth on the social platform that “he was happy to target” Isaacman for the paper.
“Jared’s passion for space, experience as an astronaut, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, led a new era at NASA,” the President wrote.
The NASA administrator role is Isaacman’s first political job, representing a departure from the last two men appointed to the job.
It requires confirmation in the Senate, where the Republican Party has a 53-47 majority. Although The US government has been shut down since early Octoberthe Senate can still confirm presidential nominees.
Thanking the President, Isaacman wrote in X that “it is an honor” to serve in the role.
“The support from the space loving community is overwhelming,” He wrote a long postwhich also recognized NASA scientists and saints.
“I’m not sure how I trust so many, but I’ll do everything I can to live up to expectations.”
Sean Duffy, the head of the transportation department, has been filming the NASA chief since July.
Isaacman’s initial nomination withdrawal came just days later Elon Musk has left the Trump AdministrationFollowing a frenzied drive to downsize government departments in his wake, leading to thousands of job cuts.
Concerns have been expressed over Isaacman’s relationship with Musk and his Spacex company, where Isaacman reportedly made hundreds of millions of dollars. He also made donations to Democrats in the last election.
His nomination has experienced doubt, and in his initial confirmation hearing in April, members of both parties questioned Isacom on Possible Conflicts of Possible Conflicts of Interest on Possible Researches, Budget Cuts to the Artrauts of Mars.
They expressed fear that he would sacrifice the long-planned moon landing to focus on Mars, but Isaacman said they could do both.
“We don’t have to make a binary decision of moon versus Mars, or Moon has to come before Mars,” he added.
The billionaire – who was a high-school dropout – made his fortune from the payment processing company Shift4 which he founded in 1999 with his children when he was 16.
Isaacman has had a long-standing interest in flying – first taking pilot lessons in 2004 and later setting a world record for the world’s fastest dive in a light jet.