Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump is set to withdraw his nomination of billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, the White House confirmed on Saturday, amid reports that Isaacman had previously donated to prominent Democrats.

Isaacman, 42, a close associate of Elon Musk and a pioneering figure in private spaceflight, was named by Trump in December as his pick to head the U.S. space agency. The founder of Shift4 Payments and the first private astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, Isaacman had been widely seen as a symbol of the growing influence of commercial space ventures in national space policy.

However, according to The New York Times, Trump reversed course after learning of Isaacman's political donations. The White House later confirmed the change, stating:

"It’s essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda."

A new nominee, the White House added, will be announced by the president himself.

The move is also being viewed as a rebuke to Elon Musk, who reportedly lobbied Trump on Isaacman’s behalf. Musk and Isaacman have extensive business ties through SpaceX, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest. On Friday, Musk stepped down from his role as head of Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

As the news broke, Musk praised Isaacman on X (formerly Twitter), calling him “one of the most competent and good-hearted people” he had ever worked with.

Isaacman rose to prominence in the aerospace world through his collaboration with SpaceX and for making history in September by performing the first-ever spacewalk by a private citizen, stepping outside a Crew Dragon capsule while orbiting the Earth.