Donald Trump has dashed Elon Musk’s hope that one of his close allies would run NASA by reneging on his nomination days before he was due to face the confirmation vote.
The president maintains he backflipped on billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman’s appointment after learning of his past donations to the Democrats.
But MAGA loyalists suspect Trump may have been set up to make the call by insiders who have it out for Elon Musk and are looking to hurt him by punishing his friend.
Trump ally Laura Loomer wrote: ‘There is reason to believe that Isaacman may be facing retaliation because of his friendship with Elon Musk.
‘If so, this would suggest there is a coordinated hit job on Isaacman in an effort to damage ties between President Trump and Elon Musk before the 2026 midterms.
‘Is President Trump aware of the ulterior motives by some individuals in the administration who have an interest in seeing Isaacman’s nomination pulled?’
The New York Times revealed on Sunday that Trump reportedly knew about Isaacman’s donations from the moment he chose to nominate him to run NASA.
Donald Trump has dashed Elon Musk ‘s hope that one of his close allies would run NASA by reneging on his nomination days before he was due to face the confirmation vote
The president maintains he backflipped on billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman’s appointment after learning of his past donations to the Democrats
Isaacman was selected by Trump at the height of his bromance with Musk, who has a long and storied connection with the fellow billionaire. It is understood that Musk lobbied for Isaacman’s appointment and that Trump deferred to the SpaceX founder for the final decision. Pictured: Isaacman and Musk together
Isaacman had reportedly disclosed that over the years he had donated to prominent Democrats, including in the past two campaign cycles.
Musk has also donated to Democrats in the past, before going on to become the single largest benefactor to the MAGA movement during the last campaign in his push to see Trump return to the White House.
Isaacman was selected by Trump at the height of his bromance with Musk, who has a long and storied connection with the fellow billionaire.
It is understood that Musk lobbied for Isaacman’s appointment and that Trump deferred to the SpaceX founder for the final decision.
At the time, Trump described Isaacman as ‘an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot and astronaut.’
He had been approved by a Senate committee and was headed to a confirmation vote this week when Trump suddenly pulled his nomination. The president gave Musk a heads up on Friday – his last day at the White House – that he intended to do so.
Musk’s time in the White House was fraught with tension and pushback from some of Trump’s closest advisors, some of whom didn’t like the access Musk had to the president and the power he wielded over departments with his Department of Government Efficiency.
This has sparked rampant speculation that in the wake of his official departure as a Special Government Employee, that some of his foes are exacting revenge by getting in Trump’s ear about Isaacman’s nomination.
He had been approved by a Senate committee and was headed to a confirmation vote this week when Trump suddenly pulled his nomination
The president gave Musk a heads up on Friday – his last day at the White House – that he intended to do so
Trump himself appeared to quell concerns that he and Musk were on the outs on Sunday night, sharing a new picture to Truth Social of him with the former First Buddy and one of Musk’s sons
Republican Senator and Trump ally Tim Sheehy wrote on X: ‘Astronaut and successful businessman @RookIsaacman was a strong choice by President Trump to lead NASA.
‘I was proud to introduce Jared at his hearing and strongly oppose efforts to derail his nomination.’
It is understood that some of Trump’s allies had been pressing him about Isaacman’s donations to the Democrats in recent days, prompting Trump to renege on his offer.
Loomer said despite his liberal ties, Isaacman was an ideal candidate to lead NASA, with ‘unmatched credentials.’
‘Isaacman was on track to get over 70 Senate votes. So why the sudden reversal and talks to pull his nomination?’ she asked.
‘Because the Deep State doesn’t want President Trump to have allies like this in his administration.’
White House assistant press secretary Liz Huston pushed back against any suggestion that the decision was not Trump’s.
‘The Administrator of NASA will help lead humanity into space and execute President Trump’s bold mission of planting the American flag on the planet Mars,’ she said.
Musk clashed with Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent (left) and openly backed Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (right) to get the role
‘It’s essential that the next leader of NASA is in complete alignment with President Trump’s America First agenda and a replacement will be announced directly by President Trump soon.’
And Trump himself appeared to quell concerns that he and Musk were on the outs on Sunday night, sharing a new picture to Truth Social of him with the former First Buddy and one of Musk’s sons.
Musk left his role less than a week ago and just days ahead of schedule, signing off with a warm X post praising Trump.
But days earlier, he had openly criticized Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ and lamented the treatment of his baby-faced DOGE henchmen during his time in the White House.
He said: ‘I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it.’
And in the days since his departure, a laundry list of allegations have surfaced about the simmering tensions between Musk and a handful of Trump’s other allies.
Former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon told DailyMail.com that Musk’s turbulent time in the White House was marred when he physically ‘shoved’ 62-year-old Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent after he was confronted over wild promises to save the administration ‘a trillion dollars’.
‘Scott Bessent called him out and said, ‘You promised us a trillion dollars (in cuts), and now you’re at like $100 billion, and nobody can find anything, what are you doing?” the prominent MAGA figure revealed.
Musk’s time in the White House was fraught with tension and pushback from some of Trump’s closest advisors, some of whom didn’t like the access Musk had to the president and the power he wielded over departments with his Department of Government Efficiency
‘And that’s when Elon got physical. It’s a sore subject with him.
‘It wasn’t an argument, it was a physical confrontation. Elon basically shoved him.’
Bannon said the physical altercation came as the two billionaires moved from the Oval Office to outside Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ office, and then outside the office of the then National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz.
‘Trump 100%’ sided with Bessent after the clash, he added. ‘I don’t think Bessent has any bad blood, but he’s got a job to do and he’s going to do it.’
The revelations of the Musk-Bessant clash follow an explosive New York Times report that alleged Musk was using a cocktail of drugs on the campaign trail including ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms.
Bannon added that Musk also lost status in Trump’s orbit when it was leaked to the New York Times in March that the billionaire was preparing to receive top-secret military briefings on China, which Trump abruptly stopped.
‘People in the administration and the White House realized he didn’t have any idea what he’s doing,’ Bannon said.
‘They cauterized the damage.’
Separately, reports claimed Musk insulted Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, by accusing him in front of Trump, of not cutting back on his staff and clashed with Transport Secretary Sean Duffy for not firing enough air traffic controllers.
He also called Peter Navarro, the architect of Trump’s trade policy, ‘a moron.’