According to a report from the New York Times, citing three unnamed sources, former President Trump expressed to associates his intention to withdraw Mr. Isaacman’s nomination after discovering his donations to notable Democrats, including Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona. Isaacman, a billionaire and founder of the payment processing company Shift4, has also secured multiple spaceflights with Musk’s SpaceX. He participated in the Inspiration4 mission in 2021 and again last year on Polaris Dawn, where he achieved the milestone of completing the first commercial spacewalk.
As reported by Space.com, the White House unveiled a detailed NASA budget request for 2026 on Friday, suggesting a nearly 25% reduction in funding—from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion—and a staggering 47% decrease for science programs. In light of Isaacman’s nomination being withdrawn, Ars Technica cites an anonymous former senior NASA official who described the proposed budget as indicative of a “going-out-of-business mode.”
In a statement sent to news organizations including NBC, Huston stated, “It’s crucial that the next NASA leader fully aligns with President Trump’s America First agenda; a replacement will be announced by President Trump very soon.” Although he could not confirm whether Musk was part of his interview process for the role, he seemed poised for a Senate approval vote to succeed former Florida Senator Bill Nelson. The NYT reported that Isaacman was notified of the decision on Friday and chose not to comment when contacted by phone.
