Trump re-nominates Jared Isaacman, a private astronaut and ally of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, for NASA administrator, five months after a previous nomination was withdrawn.

Isaacman, a billionaire pilot and Shift4 founder, thanked the space community and pledged to meet expectations in a post on social media.

He suggested political operators were driving the controversy with his rival, hinting at broader debates over NASA leadership and the Athena plan draft discussed by other outlets.

The development is described as breaking news and will be updated as more information becomes available.

Officials acknowledge this is a developing situation with ongoing updates expected.

The confirmation process is expected to proceed but may be affected by a government shutdown, potentially delaying hearings and votes.

Legal and political analysis underscores the nomination’s potential implications for NASA leadership and policy.

Budget concerns loom, including a proposed cut of more than $6 billion to NASA in the administration’s budget blueprint.

The nomination comes amid debates over Artemis-era plans and broader NASA budget and workforce pressures.

Previously, opposition to the original nomination centered on political donations and perceived maneuvering by administration officials.

Isaacman’s prior Senate consideration faced delays as the administration sought alignment between Mars ambitions and NASA’s Moon-focused Artemis strategy.

The nomination occurs amid global space competition, including China’s lunar ambitions and NASA’s planned Artemis III timeline.