Nasa has been left without a confirmed administrator after the White House unexpectedly withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead the agency.
Mr Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur, pilot and commercial astronaut, was nominated by US President Donald Trump in December.
The withdrawal comes as Nasa deals with a shrinking budget and pressure to deliver on its Artemis Moon programme and other deep-space goals. Mr Trump has not yet put forward a new nominee.
The US leader said he was withdrawing the nomination following a review of Mr Isaacman’s “prior associations", without elaborating further.
“Nasa has been operating with an acting administrator to date, Janet Petro, who was the director of Kennedy Space Centre,” David Barnhart, chief executive of California space infrastructure company Arkisys, told The National.
“She has been shepherding the agency through multiple changes, including budget reductions and programme shifts. But the absence of a Senate-confirmed leader may delay major programme changes.”
Shift towards Mars?
The choice of Mr Isaacman was widely seen as bold and unconventional, aligning with the administration’s focus on commercial partnerships in space.
The decision to withdraw the nomination was made two days after billionaire Elon Musk, a close friend of Mr Isaacman, finished his tenure in Washington as a “special government employee”.
Last month, the Trump administration put forward an $18.8 billion budget for Nasa for 2026, down 24 per cent from last year, with much of that to be allocated for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
The lower budget cuts or reshapes major programmes, including ending the Gateway project, a lunar-orbiting station that Nasa and many countries were building parts for, and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Nasa had developed the SLS rocket for its Artemis Moon programme but each launch would have reportedly cost $4 billion and the entire programme is behind schedule. Mr Musk, founder of SpaceX, has said Starship projects would be at a fraction of that cost.
Mr Barnhart said the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman as the next Nasa chief could cause more delays in programme changes.
“It is uncertain whether a focus on lunar activities will shift to Mars, for example, or whether the Space Launch System will be cut back in favour of only using commercial launch providers,” he said.
'Politicised' leadership
Sahith Madara, founder of Paris-based advisory firm Bumi & Space, said Mr Isaacman could have helped bridge the public-private divide, especially as Nasa relies more heavily on commercial providers such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to deliver key parts of its missions.
“This says a lot about how politicised the Nasa leadership has become,” he said.
“Jared brought real technical and commercial chops and could’ve helped bridge public and private space efforts, especially with programmes like Artemis and deep space exploration on the table.”
Mr Isaacman issued a statement on X after news of the withdrawal, saying he had gained “a much deeper appreciation for the complexities of government” over the course of the nomination process.
“The President, Nasa and the American people deserve the very best – an administrator ready to reorganise, rebuild and rally the best and brightest minds to deliver the world-changing headlines Nasa was built to create,” he said.
“I have not flown my last mission, whatever form that may ultimately take, but I remain incredibly optimistic that humanity’s greatest spacefaring days lie ahead.”
Blow to the commercial sector
Mr Isaacman, who has flown aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule and carried out a spacewalk as part of the Polaris Programme, had no previous government experience.
His commercial accomplishments, however, and experience in space made him a favourite with those advocating for a more industry-driven Nasa.
“Mr Isaacman’s experience lent credence to commercial industry excitement,” Mr Barnhart said.
“It was felt he would help transition more Nasa functions to the commercial sector. In general, it was seen as a favourable transition from past administrators and a recognition that Nasa’s focus on doing more with industry as partners would allow them to focus on science and innovation.”
Retired Nasa astronaut Dr Leroy Chiao, who spent 229 days in space across multiple missions, told The National that the withdrawal of Mr Isaacman's nomination left questions unanswered.
“I was in favour and am disappointed that he was withdrawn,” Dr Chiao said. “I don’t know the reason, but the official ones given are vague and don’t really make sense to me.
“In the meantime, Nasa will be OK, as there is an acting administrator who has been running the agency since February.”
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
The specs
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
HOW TO WATCH
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