Overview

• President Trump announced on Truth Social that he was withdrawing Isaacman’s NASA nomination after a “thorough review of prior associations” highlighted his past donations to Democratic candidates.
• Reports from Axios indicate Trump adviser Sergio Gor presented the president with a list of Isaacman’s Democratic contributions, prompting the sudden reversal.
• Isaacman, who had broad aerospace industry support and was backed by Elon Musk, said the move was retribution timed with Musk’s departure from his White House role.
• The administration is now expected to nominate retired Air Force Lieutenant General Steven Kwast, who co-founded SpaceBilt, to ensure the agency’s leadership meshes with the America First vision.
• The White House’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget seeks a 24 percent cut to NASA’s overall funding and nearly halves science spending, raising alarms about the future of U.S. space research.