Trump Appoints Interim Chief of NASA
President Trump has tapped Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to serve as interim NASA administrator following his withdrawal of nominee Jared Isaacman. Duffy will retain his transportation role and is stepping into the new position amid a wave of proposed budget reductions and the departure of more than 2,100 senior staff.
The agency’s science programs are under threat, with the administration proposing a roughly 25% budget cut that would cut NASA’s total funding to its lowest level since the early 1960s. Critics say the move could stall progress on moon-mission planning, Mars prep, and climate and Earth observation projects, potentially ceding leadership in space exploration to China.
Duffy’s interim appointment maintains political oversight but does little to fill the structural leadership void. It may take six months or more before the agency sees a permanent administrator confirmed. In the meantime, NASA must navigate declining staff numbers, constrained funding, and ongoing missions tied to Artemis and satellite launches.
For the space sector and related industries like aerospace manufacturing, satellite technology, and scientific research, this raises uncertainty around future contracts and investment timelines. And with global competitors advancing, the question is whether NASA can stay on track or lose its forward momentum during domestic turbulence.