On December 18, 2025, American billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This marks the end of over a year of dramatic appointment controversies.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Isaacman’s nomination by a vote of 67 to 30. President Trump re-nominated Isaacman to be the NASA Administrator in early November.
Last December, Trump initially nominated Isaacman, a close ally of Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and a prominent figure in the commercial space industry, for the position. However, in May this year, Trump rescinded the nomination amid tensions with Musk, citing the need for a thorough review of their past relationship.
Subsequently, in July, Trump appointed Sean Duffy, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, to serve as the Acting Administrator of NASA. With the rollercoaster of appointments coming to an end, Isaacman will now be the 15th Administrator of NASA.
Upon assuming office, Isaacman is expected to lead the agency in striving to achieve one of Trump’s goals – to return humans to the moon before China.
Trump, announcing Isaacman’s re-nomination on November 4, described him as the ideal choice to lead NASA into a bold new era on his social media platform, Truth Social.
During the confirmation hearing held earlier this month, Isaacman assured senators that if confirmed, he would ensure the successful continuation of the Artemis moon exploration program initiated during Trump’s first term.
He emphasized the urgency for NASA to outpace Communist China and return to the moon within this decade. Isaacman stressed to the senators, “Now is not the time for delay, but the time for action, because if we fall behind – if we make a mistake – we may never catch up, and the consequences could change the balance of power on Earth.”
He explicitly pointed out that China aims to challenge the United States in multiple areas, including in the realm of space.
Isaacman proposed a plan to increase competition among private entities in the efforts to return to the moon. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Acting Administrator of NASA, congratulated Isaacman on social media X, wishing him success as he begins his term and leads NASA to victory over China in the planned return to the moon in 2028.