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yesterday

Senate Confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator

The 67–30 vote ends a yearlong nomination saga, placing a private astronaut with SpaceX ties over an agency facing budget strain.

Jared Isaacman, President Donald Trump's pick to be NASA Administrator, listens during a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Jared Isaacman, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee to be administrator of NASA, testifies Dec. 3 during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
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Overview

  • The bipartisan confirmation passed 67–30, with 16 Democrats joining Republicans to approve President Trump’s nominee.
  • The decision followed a May withdrawal and a Nov. 4 renomination, capping a process shaped by scrutiny of Isaacman’s relationship with Elon Musk and SpaceX.
  • Isaacman pledged to resign his private-sector posts to avoid conflicts and defended the leaked 62-page “Project Athena” draft prioritizing faster human exploration, commercialization and nuclear-electric propulsion research.
  • He takes over after roughly 20% workforce cuts and a proposed ~24–25% reduction to NASA’s 2026 budget, proposals that have met resistance in Congress.
  • Immediate priorities include Artemis II and the Human Landing System path, with NASA confirming it received expedited landing proposals from SpaceX and Blue Origin as the U.S. aims to return astronauts to the Moon before China’s planned 2030 landing.