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President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will serve as the interim administrator of NASA.
“I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again.”
Trump praised Duffy’s leadership and expressed confidence in his ability to oversee the space agency during the transition. “He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time. Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!” he wrote.
The appointment follows Trump’s decision in May to withdraw his previous nominee for the permanent role, tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. Trump initially announced Isaacman’s nomination in December, calling him the right person to lead NASA.
Isaacman, 42, is the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments and has been a prominent figure in private spaceflight, notably commanding SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission and leading the Polaris Dawn mission, which included the first private spacewalk. His nomination in December 2024 received bipartisan support and endorsements from 28 former NASA astronauts.
“After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump wrote last month.
In response to the withdrawal, Isaacman expressed gratitude for the nomination and support received.
“I am incredibly grateful to President Trump @POTUS, the Senate and all those who supported me throughout this journey. The past six months have been enlightening and, honestly, a bit thrilling. I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government and the weight our political leaders carry,” Isaacman posted to X.
It remains unclear how long Duffy will serve in the interim position or when a new nominee will be named.
