Donald Trump nominates billionaire Jared Isaacman for head of NASA

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during his second administration.

Trump has been filling out critical roles in his next administration since he won reelection last month, including nominating his presidential Cabinet. 

Isaacman, who founded and leads the payment processing company Shift4, has no experience working in NASA or the federal government, but partnered with SpaceX founder Elon Musk and his company to pay for and launch the Polaris Program in 2022, according to NBC News.

“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The Polaris Program is a private spaceflight program that sends civilians outside the Earth's orbit to test technologies and conduct research. Isaacman was one of four civilians on the program's first spaceflight. 

The billionaire also flew on SpaceX’s first all-civilian mission to orbit in 2021.

"Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era," Trump said.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.