Trump names his Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, as interim head of NASA

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named his Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, as acting NASA administrator. Duffy will temporarily assume the leadership of the US space agency until the administration's nominee is approved. This position has been vacant since Trump withdrew his nomination of businessman Jared Isaacman in May.

"Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job taking charge of our Nation's Transportation Affairs... He will be a fantastic leader for the increasingly important Space Agency, even if only for a short time," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.

For her part, Duffy replied that it was "an honor to accept this mission," adding, "It's time to take control of space. Launch!" Duffy replaces Janet Petro, former director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, who has served as acting administrator since Trump's inauguration in January.

Trump had nominated Isaacman, a billionaire and private astronaut, as NASA administrator and Petro as acting chief in December. However, he abruptly withdrew his nomination in May, a decision that infuriated SpaceX owner Elon Musk, once the president's right-hand man and now his bitter enemy.

At the time, the White House offered no explanation for withdrawing Isaacman's nomination. Trump has since stated that it was "inappropriate" to propose him, given Musk's volume of commercial contracts with NASA through SpaceX. He also noted that he needed someone aligned with his policies, referring to Isaacman's past funding of the Democratic Party.

Duffy's announcement coincides with the announcement that more than 2,100 high-ranking NASA employees will leave their positions as part of the administration's effort to reduce staff through early retirement, severance packages, and resignations. During the Trump administration, the US space industry and NASA's 18,000 employees have suffered significant instability, marked by layoffs and proposed budget cuts that would cancel dozens of programs, especially those related to science.