Trump picks Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to steer NASA for now, after pulling Musk-backed nominee
President Trump introduced Wednesday that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will quickly lead the Nationwide Aeronautics and Area Administration, weeks after Mr. Trump withdrew an Elon Musk-linked entrepreneur as his choose to steer the house company.
The president praised Duffy in a Wednesday Reality Social publish, writing: “He might be a incredible chief of the ever extra necessary Area Company, even when just for a brief time period.”
“Honored to just accept this mission. Time to take over house. Let’s launch,” Duffy wrote on X.
NASA is at present led by Janet Petro, a former chief of the Kennedy Area Heart who has served because the company’s appearing administrator because the begin of Mr. Trump’s time period. Petro’s standing is unclear; a NASA spokesperson mentioned the company had no additional particulars.
Mr. Trump initially selected billionaire personal astronaut Jared Isaacman to steer NASA, however the president pulled his nomination simply days earlier than the Senate was set to carry a affirmation vote, citing a “thorough evaluate of prior associations.”
Final weekend, the president expanded on the difficulty, saying Isaacman was advisable to him by Musk “and, whereas I believed his pal was excellent, I used to be stunned to study that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had by no means contributed to a Republican earlier than.”
Federal Election Fee data present Isaacman has donated to Democratic congressional candidates and teams, although he has additionally given some cash to Republicans.
“I additionally thought it inappropriate {that a} very shut pal of Elon, who was within the Area Enterprise, run NASA, when NASA is such an enormous a part of Elon’s company life,” Mr. Trump wrote in a Reality Social publish final weekend, referring to Musk’s firm SpaceX, which has NASA contracts.
Isaacman has beforehand flown on SpaceX rockets as a personal astronaut. In a Monday publish on X, Isaacman described himself as “comparatively apolitical” and a “right-leaning reasonable,” and mentioned he disclosed his political donations previous to his nomination. He additionally mentioned he “solely know[s] Elon professionally” and doesn’t personal any fairness in SpaceX, however he has a “firsthand appreciation for what he and his corporations have completed.”
Days after Isaacman’s nomination was pulled, a feud between Mr. Trump and Musk — a onetime Trump ally who served as a particular authorities worker heading up the Division of Authorities Effectivity — burst into public view. The assaults between the president and the world’s richest man have largely targeted on the One Large Stunning Invoice Act, a large spending package deal that Musk has criticized.
Duffy is quickly taking up NASA at an necessary time for the company, which is aiming to return astronauts to the moon and, ultimately, land people on Mars for the primary time ever.
Duffy is the most recent Trump administration official to serve in a dual-hatted function. Marco Rubio serves as each secretary of state and appearing nationwide safety adviser, and is the appearing head of the Nationwide Archives and Data Administration.
contributed to this report.
