WASHINGTON: Following a month-long drama in which President Donald Trump withdrew his candidacy due to a dispute with tech billionaire Elon Musk, the Senate confirmed billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator on Wednesday. A bipartisan majority of 67-30 confirmed Isaacman, who has pledged to bring a business-minded approach to the space agency.
He will take over following an unusual confirmation process that was disrupted by the Republican president’s erratic and occasionally turbulent relationship with top tech leaders who supported his campaign, most notably Musk, the CEO of Tesla and Isaacman’s close ally.
After a disagreement with Musk about the administration’s policy on matters like electric vehicles and the effectiveness of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, Trump withdrew his candidacy for Isaacman in May.
In addition to being the largest donor to Trump’s 2024 campaign, Musk assembled a DOGE team that quickly scoured federal departments, contracts, and critical infrastructure after the administration took office. The operation, which lasted several months, resulted in significant reductions in federal contracts related to international aid and global health, as well as widespread layoffs of federal employees.
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