Politics
NEW: Senate Confirms Important Trump Nominee
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm Jared Isaacman as the 15th administrator of NASA, placing him into the role full time after a months-long saga.
Isaacman was easily confirmed in a bipartisan vote of 67-30. “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,” he said when he was renominated as NASA administrator back in November.
“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.”
Trump had first nominated him to serve as NASA administrator before taking office last December. The nomination advanced through committee and included a confirmation hearing, but Trump withdrew it in May 2025, citing a review of “prior associations.”
The withdrawal came at the height of President Trump’s feud with tech billionaire Elon Musk, which has since been settled. Isaacman has a long-standing relationship with Musk’s SpaceX and was recommended for the position by Musk.
Trump renominated Isaacman on November 4, 2025, leading to a second confirmation process and ultimate Senate approval on Wednesday.
Isaacman appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Photo: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Isaacman has built a successful career in the aviation and space industry after developing a passion for the industry at a young age. He dropped out of high school at just 16-years-old to found a payment processing company (initially United Bank Card, later rebranded Shift4 Payments) in 1999.
He went on to become a licensed pilot and proceeded to set multiple world records in the aviation space. In 2011, he founded Draken International, a company that provides adversary air support for military training.
In 2021, he self-funded and commanded Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital spaceflight mission aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, raising over $240 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He announced the Polaris Program with SpaceX in 2022, and in September 2024 commanded Polaris Dawn, achieving the first private spacewalk and the highest human orbit since the Apollo era
“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump said when announcing Isaacman’s renomination last month.
“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.”
