Trump withdraws nomination of NASA administrator, says replacement will be named soon

 

 

PP Cherian Dallas

Washington, D.C.: The White House is withdrawing its nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman to be NASA administrator, the Semaphore news agency first reported on Saturday. The move comes as Isaacman nears a confirmation vote and President Donald Trump has said he will name a replacement soon.

The White House statement did not elaborate on the move, but White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said it was "essential that the next leader of NASA aligns fully with President Trump's America First agenda."

Trump said in December that he was nominating Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who has never worked in the federal government, to be NASA administrator.

Isaacman has flown into space twice on self-funded commercial missions.

"The NASA Administrator will help lead humanity into space and implement President Trump's bold mission to plant an American flag on Mars," Huston said in a statement.