WASHINGTON, November 5. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday re-nominated billionaire and space tourist Jared Isaacman as a candidate for the post of head of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
"This evening I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of 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." The American leader noted that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who is now NASA’s interim administrator, "has done an incredible job."
Last September, Isaacman took part in the first commercial Polaris Dawn space mission. During the flight, as captain of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, he and engineer Sarah Gillis carried out the first ever spacewalk by non-professional astronauts. Isaacman collaborates with billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX company.
Earlier this year, Trump had already nominated Isaacman as a candidate for the post of head of NASA. On April 30, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation recommended that Isaacman be confirmed for the position. It was expected that the final vote on his appointment would be held in the Senate in June. However, on May 31, the American leader withdrew Isaacman's candidacy and his intention to name a new candidate for the post. The American media called Isaacman Musk’s protege.
Musk, the planet’s wealthiest man, earlier this year served as coordinator of the Department for Improving the Efficiency of the American government (DOGE) and a U.S. civil servant with a special status who worked on a voluntary basis for several months. He was part of Trump's inner circle.
However, according to the American press, behind the scenes, relations between the president and the businessman began to deteriorate for a number of reasons, including those related to Musk's business interests. After Musk left the civil service, the parties staged a loud public showdown on social media on June 5. Musk later said he regretted making harsh remarks about Trump. In September, Trump and Musk sat down together at a farewell ceremony for activist Charlie Kirk. At the end of October, Trump said that he had a good relationship with Musk, despite the previous quarrel.