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US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was directing reality television star and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to be the interim administrator of NASA.
Duffy will step into the role temporarily at a time when the position has drawn attention due to President Trump’s ongoing feud with billionaire Elon Musk. Musk had pushed for his close associate, Jared Isaacman, a billionaire and private astronaut, to lead NASA, Reuters reported.
Although Trump nominated Isaacman for the administrator role in December, he unexpectedly withdrew the nomination in May, a move that reportedly frustrated Musk, the owner of SpaceX.
“I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA. Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time. Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!” Trump said.
While at the time the White House did not provide an explanation for pulling Isaacman’s nomination, Trump has since said it was “inappropriate” to have named Isaacman as NASA administrator, considering Musk’s business with the space agency.
After Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, Isaacman called it “a great move” and wished Duffy well.
“NASA needs political leadership from someone the President trusts and has confidence in,” Isaacman said on X.
Trump’s announcement followed a report by Politico revealing that over 2,100 senior NASA employees are preparing to leave their positions as part of the administration’s efforts to reduce staff through early retirements, buyouts, and delayed resignations, according to Reuters.
Throughout Trump’s tenure, NASA and the broader U.S. space industry, comprising a workforce of 18,000 have faced significant uncertainty due to potential layoffs and proposed budget cuts threatening to eliminate numerous science programs.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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