President Trump has named Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as interim administrator of NASA, filling a role left vacant after Trump withdrew his previous nominee, Jared Isaacman.
Duffy’s selection follows months of friction between Trump and Elon Musk, who had backed Isaacman—a close associate and private astronaut—for the top post. Trump initially nominated Isaacman in December but reversed course in May, later calling the pick “inappropriate” due to Musk’s financial ties to NASA through SpaceX.
“Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs … He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Isaacman responded to the announcement by calling it “a great move” and voicing support for Duffy, saying NASA needs leadership from someone the president trusts.
The shake-up comes as more than 2,100 senior NASA employees are reportedly set to depart under a Trump administration initiative aimed at workforce reduction through early retirement and buyouts.
