Trump pulled his NASA administrator nominee from consideration earlier than Musk feud

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A day after the White Home held a farewell press convention for SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk to spotlight his efforts as outgoing chief of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), President Donald Trump out of the blue pulled Musk ally Jared Isaacman as his choose for NASA administrator.

Whereas the White Home launched a Could 30 video chronicling Musk’s contributions to DOGE and several other X posts thanking him and itemizing varied "DOGE wins," the gestures had been a few of the final, ultimate public actions of goodwill between Trump and Musk.

On Saturday, Trump introduced in a social media submit he was pulling the nomination for Isaacman, a business astronaut and founder and CEO of cost processing firm Shift4 Funds after "an intensive overview of prior associations."

Trump additionally stated he would unveil a "new Nominee who can be Mission aligned, and put America First in Area."

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Jared Isaacman, the nominee for NASA administrator, was booted by the White Home Saturday. (Tom Brenner for The Washington Put up by way of Getty Photos)

Isaacman’s affiliations with Musk embrace being an investor in SpaceX, along with main two non-public spaceflight missions with SpaceX, together with Inspiration4. The 2021 Inspiration4 mission was the primary time an all-civilian crew orbited Earth.

Isaacman addressed his pulled nomination in an episode of the "All-In Podcast," which is hosted by 4 enterprise capitalists and covers enterprise, know-how and society, that dropped Wednesday. Particularly, Isaacman stated he obtained a name from the White Home Could 30 notifying him his nomination wouldn’t advance as a result of the White Home had "determined to go in a unique path."

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Isaacman stated he suspected his ties to Musk had been a part of the choice, noting the decision got here the identical day Musk’s tenure with DOGE concluded.

"I don’t have to play dumb on this," Isaacman stated within the podcast. "I don’t assume that the timing was a lot of a coincidence, that there have been different adjustments occurring the identical day.

"There have been some folks that had some axes to grind, I suppose, and I used to be a superb, seen goal."

Tensions between Musk and Trump continued to escalate after Musk’s departure as a particular authorities worker Could 30 and Isaacman’s withdrawn nomination the next day.

President Donald Trump purchased a Tesla from Musk on the White Home as a present of help earlier in 2025 when the electrical automobile maker confronted shopper backlash over Musk's political activism. (Mandel Ngan/AFP by way of Getty Photos)

Though Musk beforehand instructed CBS Information in an interview clip launched Could 27 that he was upset by the Home’s passage of Trump’s large tax and spending bundle, the "huge, lovely invoice," as a result of it might improve the federal deficit, Musk’s assaults on the measure ramped up exponentially after Trump rescinded Isaacman’s nomination.

Particularly, on Tuesday, Musk labeled the measure a "disgusting abomination" and adopted up by urging the American public to contact lawmakers to "KILL the BILL" in an X submit Wednesday.

White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt instructed reporters Tuesday that Trump was conscious of Musk’s place on the invoice and that it didn’t change the president’s stance on the measure. And Trump didn't mince phrases Thursday as tensions between the 2 males reached a boiling level.

Trump stated Musk was irritated with provisions within the invoice that will minimize an electrical automobile tax credit score that advantages corporations like Tesla. He additionally urged Musk might endure from "Trump derangement syndrome," a time period used to explain deeply unfavourable reactions to the president.

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"I am very upset as a result of Elon knew the inside workings of this invoice higher than nearly anyone sitting right here, higher than you individuals," Trump stated within the Oval Workplace throughout a gathering with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"He knew all the pieces about it. He had no drawback with it. Hastily, he had an issue, and he solely developed the issue when he came upon that we will have to chop the EV mandate as a result of that is billions and billions of {dollars}, and it truly is unfair."

Trump additionally particularly talked about Isaacman’s nomination, claiming Musk advisable Isaacman for the function. However Trump voiced concern about Isaacman’s ties to the Democratic Occasion.

"He needed and rightfully, , he advisable anyone that he, I suppose, knew very nicely. I am positive he revered him, however to run NASA," Trump instructed reporters Thursday. "And I did not assume it was applicable. And he occurred to be a Democrat, like, completely Democrat. And I say, , look, we gained. We get sure privileges. And one of many privileges is we do not have to nominate a Democrat. NASA is essential."

Elon Musk receives a golden key from President Donald Trump within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, Could 30, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)

Trump then stated he "understood" why Musk was upset over the pulled nomination.

The White Home directed Fox Information Digital to Trump's feedback Thursday and Isaacman's earlier donations to Democrats, together with Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer of New York.

Isaacman instructed the "All-In Podcast" he doesn’t assume his previous political donations to Democrats had been a consider his pulled nomination, and that he identifies as "right-leaning."

Isaacman and Musk didn't instantly reply to a request for remark from Fox Information Digital.

Trump and Musk continued to trade barbs Thursday . At one level, Musk urged the removing of the "disgusting pork" included in Trump’s tax and spending invoice. He additionally stated it was "false" that he was proven the measure "even as soon as."

Musk even went as far as to say Trump wouldn’t have gained the 2024 election if it weren’t for Musk's backing. In the meantime, Trump accused Musk of going "CRAZY" over cuts to the EV credit and stated Musk was "carrying skinny."

President Donald Trump is joined by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and his son, X Musk, throughout an government order signing within the Oval Workplace on the White Home Feb. 11, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Photos)

Though Politico reported that Trump and Musk had been slated to talk Friday over the telephone, Trump shut down hypothesis of a name between the 2.

"No. I gained’t be chatting with him for some time I suppose, however I want him nicely," Trump stated, in accordance with CNN.

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"I’m not even excited about Elon. He’s received an issue. The poor man’s received an issue," Trump stated.

Regardless of Musk’s departure, White Home officers have stated DOGE’s efforts to handle waste, fraud and abuse will proceed, and Trump and cupboard members will oversee DOGE. The company is predicted to formally shut down July 4, 2026.