US President-elect Trump has nominated Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated Jared Isaacman, founder and CEO of integrated payments and commerce technology company Shift4, as the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Isaacman was at the helm of Shift4 for the past 25 years and also served as co-founder and CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies for more than a decade, Trump said. Said on X. ,

“I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The US President-elect said Jared will advance NASA’s mission to discover and inspire, leading to unprecedented achievements in space science, technology and exploration.

“Over the past 25 years, as Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership while building a leading global financial technology company. “he/she served as co-founder and CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and our allies for more than a decade,” he/she said.

Trump emphasized Isaacman’s deep interest in space and exploration and said his/her experience as an astronaut and commitment to advancing the space economy will be central to leading NASA.

“Jared’s passion for space, astronaut experience and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, uncovering the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new space economy make him/her ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new era. Makes it suitable. Congratulations to Jared, his/her wife Monica and their children Mila and Liv!” Trump said.

Following his/her nomination, Isaacman said he/she was honored to receive the nomination by Trump and that he/she was excited to lead America in “the most incredible adventure in human history.”

“I am honored to receive President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having had the privilege of seeing our amazing planet from space, I am excited that America is leading the most incredible adventure in human history,” he/she said on X.

“On our last mission to space, my crew and I traveled the furthest from Earth in more than half a century. I can say with confidence that this second space age has just begun. “Space has the unique potential to pave the way for manufacturing, biotechnology, mining and perhaps new sources of energy,” he/she said.

he/she also outlined his/her vision for the future of space exploration and emphasized the development of the space economy and the ability for people to live and work in space.

he/she also promised to inspire future generations to dream of space, ensuring America would walk on the Moon and Mars.

“There will inevitably be a thriving space economy – creating opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will enthusiastically pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization. I was born after the moon landing; My children were born after the last space shuttle launch, Isaacman said.

“With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to travel to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire your children and mine to move forward and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars, and in doing so we will improve life on Earth. “It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and work with NASA’s extraordinary team to realize our shared dreams of exploration and discovery,” he/she said.

Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States in the 2024 presidential election after securing 312 electoral votes, defeating Democratic rival Kamala Harris, who secured 226 votes. Following his/her victory, President-elect Donald Trump has moved quickly to finalize his/her foreign policy and national security team ahead of his/her formal inauguration in January 2025.