US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he had withdrawn the nomination of billionaire and Elon Musk associate Jared Isaacman to head the space agency NASA. He said he did so after a “review of the businessman's past relationships.” According to the New York Times, it concerns donations to Democrats.
“After a thorough review of his past relationships, I am withdrawing my nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. I will soon announce a new candidate who will be consistent with the mission and put America first in space,” Trump said on his social media site Truth Social.
According to the New York Times, Trump is said to have turned against his candidate after learning that he had previously donated money to the campaigns of prominent Democratic politicians, including former astronaut Senator Mark Kelly.
The president's decision came just days before the Senate was expected to vote on Isaacman's confirmation, where – until recently – he was expected to receive the required majority vote. As a result, the US space agency will likely remain without a full-fledged head for months to come.
Isaacman, a 42-year-old businessman and pilot known for his love of aviation (he also runs a fighter pilot training company) and his relationship with Elon Musk, gained notoriety most recently as the commander of the Inspiration4 mission, the first all-civilian orbital flight, aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft.
As reported by the New York Times, Trump was to inform his circle about the withdrawal of Isaacman's candidacy on Friday, which was Elon Musk's last day of formal work in the Trump administration.
During Senate hearings, the would-be NASA chief expressed opposition to some of the planned cuts in the agency's budget, which are to amount to as much as 25 percent. They are to significantly change plans for NASA's most important program, Artemis, which was to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon and take the first humans to Mars.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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