United States President Donald Trump has announced the appointment of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the interim administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), citing the growing strategic importance of space to the nation’s priorities.
In a post shared via Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump praised Duffy’s leadership at the Department of Transportation and expressed confidence in his ability to oversee NASA.
I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA,” Trump wrote. “He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time.”
Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman and longtime Trump ally, will now lead NASA while retaining his role at the Department of Transportation. Trump highlighted Duffy’s achievements in air traffic control modernisation and national infrastructure revival, describing his tenure as “TREMENDOUS.”
Duffy accepted the interim role with enthusiasm, posting on X, “🚀 Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch.”
He replaces Janet Petro, who had served as acting NASA administrator since January. The appointment follows Trump’s withdrawal of his earlier nomination of billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman in May.
Isaacman, a close associate of Elon Musk and a prominent figure in private space exploration, was first nominated in December 2024. However, concerns over potential conflicts of interest due to his connections to SpaceX led to increased scrutiny.
According to the Associated Press, Trump said Isaacman’s nomination was withdrawn following “a thorough review of prior associations” and concerns over “corporate entanglements.”
The move underscores the Trump administration’s continued prioritisation of space as a domain of national defence, economic innovation, and technological advancement. Trump, who established the U.S. Space Force during his first term, has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining American dominance in space.
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