Trump Appoints Duffy as Acting NASA Chief

President Donald Trump has appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as interim NASA administrator after withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a SpaceX ally, due to concerns over Isaacman's ties to Elon Musk and political affiliations. Duffy, who lacks direct experience in space policy, takes over as NASA faces a proposed 25-50% budget cut and possible layoffs of over 2,100 senior staff, potentially reducing the agency to its smallest size since the early 1960s. The move marks a political shift in NASA’s leadership and intensifies Trump’s feud with Musk amid growing global competition in space exploration. Critics have raised concerns about Trump’s practice of having officials serve in multiple roles, suggesting a lack of prioritization for agencies like NASA. The appointment has sparked concern within the scientific community about the agency's stability and mission continuity. Isaacman, despite being dropped, publicly wished Duffy well, emphasizing the need for trusted political leadership.