"Rook" Among Candidates Being Interviewed By Duffy

After being named by President Trump, then having his nomination rescinded, Jared ‘Rook’ Isaacman is back in the running to become the permanent head of NASA. Secretary of Transportation and NASA Acting Administrator Sean P. Duffy is currently interviewing candidates for the top job at the space agency.

It is unknown when a final decision will be made on a new nominee, but the fact that Isaacman has already been through some of the confirmation process would accelerate getting someone in place. Isaacman is a stalwart supporter of space exploration and human space flight, which would facilitate the Trump administration’s goal to land Americans back on the Moon before China.

During his confirmation hearings in April this year, Isaacman raised eyebrows when he asserted that NASA could pursue human missions to the Moon and Mars at the same time and within its current budget.

Two days later, the Trump administration submitted the FY2026 budget request to Congress that included a $6 billion cut to NASA. Human space flight was not reduced much, but the agency’s science projects, strongly supported by Isaacman, would be cut by 47 percent.

It was widely presumed that Isaacman’s original nomination was withdrawn by Trump when he and Elon Musk had their falling out over the Big Beautiful Bill, because it was Musk who recommended Isaacman to Trump even before he was inaugurated.

Isaacman is known in the space community from his funding and flying two commercial space fights on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Inspiration4 in 2021 and again on Polaris Dawn in 2024. His close involvement with Musk and SpaceX complicated his nomination process. Additionally, when Musk was placed in charge of DOGE, the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, some in Congress became wary of Isaacman.

The space community is largely supportive of Isaacman, and NASA confirmed that Duffy met with him last week as well as other candidates.

At least with regard to getting American astronauts back to the Moon before the end of Trump’s term, Isaacman and the administration are on the same page.

FMI:  www.nasa.gov/