(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he was nominating Jared Isaacman, the private astronaut and ally of billionaire Elon Musk, for the office of administrator of NASA.

Isaacman was removed from consideration to lead NASA earlier this year amid a high-profile falling out that Trump had with Musk. Sean Duffy, the head of the US Department of Transportation, was named acting NASA chief.

"This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA," Trump said on social media. The role requires a Senate confirmation.

Trump also noted that“Sean Duffy has done an incredible job as Interim Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).”

He said 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.”

"Congratulations to Jared, his wife Monica, and their children, Mila and Liv. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT," Trump said.

Who is Jared Isaacman?

Jared Isaacman, 42, is the founder and CEO of Allentown, Pennsylvania-based payment processing firm Shift4 Payments.

As per Forbes, Isaacman started the firm at age 16 in his parents' basement in Far Hills, New Jersey in 1999.

In 2011, he founded Draken International, a defense firm that trains Air Force pilots and owns the world's largest private fleet of military aircraft.

Donald Trump had nominated Isaacman in January 2025 to serve as the administrator of NASA.

According to Forbes, his real-time net worth is $1.2 billion.

Jared Isaacman thanks Trump

Jared Isaacman thanked Trump for nominating him to head NASA. He said in a lengthy post on X, "Thank you, Mr. President @POTUS, for this opportunity. It will be an honor to serve my country under your leadership. I am also very grateful to @SecDuffy, who skillfully oversees @NASA alongside his many other responsibilities."

“The support from the space-loving community has been overwhelming. I am not sure how I earned the trust of so many, but I will do everything I can to live up to those expectations,” Isaacman said.

He added,“To the innovators building the orbital economy, to the scientists pursuing breakthrough discoveries and to dreamers across the world eager for a return to the Moon and the grand journey beyond--these are the most exciting times since the dawn of the space age-- and I truly believe the future we have all been waiting for will soon become reality.”

“And to the best and brightest at NASA, and to all the commercial and international partners, we have an extraordinary responsibility - but the clock is running,” he said.

Jared Isaacman added that the journey is never easy,“but it is time to inspire the world once again to achieve the near-impossible - to undertake and accomplish big, bold endeavors in space...and when we do, we will make life better here at home and challenge the next generation to go even further.”

"NASA will never be a caretaker of history - but will forever make history. Godspeed, President Donald J. Trump, and Godspeed NASA, as America leads the greatest adventure in human history," Jared Isaacman said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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