【By Observer News, Li Qi】On November 4th local time, US President Trump once again nominated Jared Isaacman as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Earlier this year, Trump had withdrawn his nomination for Isaacman on the grounds that "a comprehensive review of his past relationships was needed."

Trump announced this news on the Truth Social platform, stating, "Jared's passion for space, his experience as an astronaut, and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of exploration, uncovering the mysteries of the universe, and developing a new space economy make him the ideal person to lead NASA into a bold new era."

After the announcement, Isaacman's friend, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, quickly shared the news.

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For those who have long followed SpaceX missions, the name Jared Isaacman is not unfamiliar. He served as the commander of SpaceX's Inspiration 4 mission in 2021 and was also one of the main financiers of this mission.

Three years later, in September 2024, Isaacman commanded the "Polaris Dawn" mission again. According to a previous report by Associated Press, the crew reached a distance of about 1,400 kilometers from Earth, setting a record for the farthest distance humans have traveled beyond Earth since the Apollo missions.

Polaris Dawn Mission Astronauts, Isaacman (left) AP

Since then, Isaacman has built a connection with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk through these two space missions and gradually became a close friend due to their shared pursuits in commercial space exploration.

As a prominent figure in the emerging U.S. commercial space industry, Isaacman has been widely covered by professional space media such as "Daily Astronaut." In December 2024, he was nominated by Trump to serve as the Administrator of NASA.

However, Isaacman's close relationship with Musk and SpaceX became a focal point for critics. According to a previous report by The Washington Post, critics are concerned that this personal relationship could lead to government contracts favoring SpaceX, and that Isaacman may prioritize SpaceX-led Mars exploration plans over existing lunar projects during his tenure at NASA.

An article from a U.S. commercial space news website in March this year stated that despite more than 20 former NASA astronauts writing to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation urging the swift confirmation of Isaacman's appointment, his nomination remained stalled in the Senate due to related controversies.

In June 2025, due to the "Big and Beautiful" Act exacerbating the rift between Musk and Trump, Trump withdrew his nomination for Isaacman, citing the reason was "he had donated to the Democrats." Subsequently, Trump appointed Sean Duffy, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, as the Acting Administrator of NASA.

According to a previous report by The Wall Street Journal, Sean Duffy, the current U.S. Secretary of Transportation, is one of the core figures in the Trump administration and is deeply trusted by Trump for his loyalty. In the competition for the NASA Administrator position, Duffy is seen as a key figure on the side of the traditional aerospace system, with companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing supporting his bid for the official position. Additionally, he has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the lunar program in public speeches, portraying the U.S. lunar program as a competition with China.

However, Duffy's plan did not keep up with Trump's change of heart. In September this year, media captured Trump and Musk together at the memorial service of Charlie Kirk, shaking hands and exchanging words, indicating a warming of their relationship. Indeed, several U.S. media outlets reported that with Musk and Trump's relationship improving, Isaacman seemed to be gradually re-entering the discussion of the NASA Administrator nomination.

Trump and Musk having a deep conversation at Kirk's memorial service Video screenshot

Isaacman's return seems to have raised concerns among Duffy's side. On October 20th local time, Duffy said in a Fox News interview that due to significant delays in the progress of SpaceX's HLS lunar landing system, NASA will reopen the competition for the lunar lander mission, allowing more companies to participate.

This statement directly angered Musk, who posted a furious message saying, "Compared to other space industries, SpaceX develops at lightning speed," and added that the Starship would ultimately complete the entire lunar mission independently.

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Subsequently, Musk continuously shared multiple posts mocking Duffy, even launching a vote asking, "Should a man known for climbing trees be responsible for America's space program?" which received over 190,000 votes.

A U.S. media analysis pointed out that Trump's renewed mention of Isaacman has put American space exploration at a "crossroads"—choosing to embrace sustainable commercial space exploration or trying to salvage traditional aerospace projects that rely on high costs. Regardless of the final outcome, Trump's decision will profoundly impact the long-term collaboration framework between NASA and U.S. commercial space companies.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569057030883852836/

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