Trump taps billionaire fintech CEO with SpaceX ties to head NASA

As a seasoned crypto investor and space enthusiast, I find the appointment of Jared Isaacman as NASA commissioner not only intriguing but also promising. With his extensive background in fintech, aviation, and space travel, he seems to be uniquely qualified for this role.


On December 4th, President-elect Donald Trump declared his intention to appoint Jared Isaacman, an accomplished businessman, skilled aviator, and pioneering space sports bettor (the first from beyond Earth’s atmosphere), as the future leader of NASA, subject to confirmation by Congress.

Should he be selected, Isaacman will assume the position as NASA’s 15th leader, succeeding current head Bill Nelson, a seasoned Florida Democratic politician.

At present, Isaacman holds the position of CEO at Shift4, a prominent payments and financial tech company that handles over $260 billion in transactions every year and caters to over 200,000 clients. Additionally, he’s recognized for his strong connections with technology titan Elon Musk and SpaceX, a commercial partner of NASA.

In 2021, Isaacson played a significant role in funding and managing the Inspiration4 mission, which was a privately-funded space journey using SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Resilience. He revisited space in September 2024 as the commander of the Polaris Dawn mission, making history as the first non-astronaut to conduct a “spacewalk.

NASA commissioner

As a seasoned aviator with diverse flight experience, I’ve piloted various civilian and military aircraft, including jets, prior to my space adventures. I’ve even been part of an aerial acrobatics team, performing daring jet maneuvers in precision formations.

In the corporate sector, Isaacman possesses expertise in financial technology. Notably, he is recognized for being a co-founder and CEO of Draken International – a firm specializing in defense aeronautics, which also works as a contractor for the United States Department of Defense, as referenced by Trump on Truth Social.

“I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration.”

Isaacman’s nomination has been made during a busy period for the Trump transition team, as preparations are underway for the president-elect to take office in January. Notably, Isaacson is presumed to lead NASA, while Trump also plans to replace Gary Gensler, current head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, with Paul Atkins – a former SEC commissioner who is supportive of cryptocurrency.

As a crypto investor, I’ve heard rumors that Trump is considering University of Maryland finance professor Michael Faulkender as his Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. Moreover, there are whispers that he might be planning to put Florida Governor Ron DeSantis forward as a potential replacement for Pete Hegseth, who was previously seen as the likely nominee for Secretary of Defense, but stepped down on December 4th.

Read More

2024-12-04 23:29