President Donald Trump appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to serve as the interim administrator of NASA, announcing the news in a Truth Social post Wednesday evening.
“Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country’s Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,” the president wrote.
Duffy steps into the role following Trump’s withdrawal of his previous nominee, tech billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman. Isaacman had cleared the Senate Commerce Committee and was widely expected to win confirmation, but Trump abruptly pulled the nomination in May, citing concerns about Isaacman’s ties to Elon Musk and his Democratic political affiliation.
Duffy assumes leadership of NASA at a challenging time. The agency is facing a proposed 25% budget cut under Trump’s fiscal plan, which would slash funding from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, largely targeting NASA’s science portfolio. Meanwhile, more than 2,000 senior-level employees are expected to leave the agency as part of a major workforce reduction effort, according to documents obtained by Politico.
In a brief post on X, Duffy acknowledged the appointment, writing: “Honored to accept the mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch.”
Space Cadets United. Again, Homer Simpson was skipped.
A man who says this with a straight face:
““Building big, beautiful infrastructure that connects people, states, and moves our products is priority for the President,” Duffy said”
is perfect for the job…of killing off programs. By the time Duffy is done with NASA, it will be a shell of what it was as he is just following along with his dismantling of DOT (re FAA) with staff reductions and “reviews” (cough)holds(cough).
Now some you folks may say “Why Bucc, we don’t need NASA, we don’t need science. We need money in our pockets so we can fly”…but ya see…
All those scientists want to work and if NASA or the gubmint’ don’t want em, the EU and other countries do for what science discovers turns to money down the road and now, that money goes into outside US pockets. those engineers that want to build rockets, they get hired by companies like rocketlab (NZ) or the EU, or other places and we’re left with SpaceX and…well SpaceX and while F9 is solid, lately quality has been dropping (ie…Boom)
Kill NASA and China will extend its lead in space technology, exploration, and yes, exploitation as science in this country dies and if you still say “So what you libbie commie”…NASA was the forefront of aviation research. NASA work in conjunction with the FAA to improve systems and safety because you know, aviation manufacturing don’t want that cost. Once China gains position as leader in space, the US will play catch up and lose every time (example, look at Russia’s space program today, because autoritarian regimes do so well for Space programs)
A man already poorly in charge of the DOT because he has no, zero, none experience now gets control of a science/engineering agency and he has even less there in brain cells.
I thought it said Sean Puffy at first, and honestly, I wasn’t even that shocked.
And what does ‘Time to take over space. Let’s lunch…er, launch’ mean exactly?
Golden Dome over the Solar System? A new modern unnecessary Cold War??
Should I be alarmed of possible nuclear conflict coming? Development of One Big Beautiful
NASA is virtually being dissolved and likely will be mopped up by Space Force or Space Agency or whatever the hell, so what will really be his ‘mission’?
Houston, we’ve got a problem.
Good grief! Boldly pushing the frontier of pettiness.
Sean Duffy, with no space or science background, is now leading NASA.
Over 2,000 senior experts are being forced out.
Budgets slashed. Science sidelined.
This isn’t reform. It’s brain drain, and the damage is global.
Weather, satellites, climate data, domestic jobs, local economies, all at risk.
In short, this is like pissing inside the tent.
Elections have consequences. End of story.
I hope he begins with immediate cancellation of the ridiculously over budget and behind schedule X-59 QUESST at NASA Armstrong. After that, he needs to put those people at Armstrong on a serious budgetary diet.
And the dismantling of this country’s greatness continues…
Isn’t that Special? Take someone who is already in over their heads in their current position and load them up with even more responsibility for even more critical aspects of our country, then tell us all how efficient government is becoming.
Be patient and give your fellow citizens some time to get used to all the winning!
Best available Fox News contributor.
What could possibly go wrong Elections have consequences. We are so screwed!
Aunty Em, Aunty Em… Running around with hands on cheeks, the sky is falling! Quick, stick your finger in the dam…
For a bunch of intelligent guys (mostly) you guys sure get your panties in a bunch over the current administration. How would it have been trying not to become burdened by what has been?
Give us a break, dcmarotta, we’re still in group therapy over here. NASA’s gutted, the brain trust is gone, and now a loyalty pick gets a space suit and Rocket Science for Dummies..
What Raf said..
Interesting how the mocking warning used here of ‘Aunty Em, Aunty Em’ has a similar cadence to 'Merit-based, Merit-based…
Sadly, however, as if spirited away by masked Inquisitors under cover of night, ancient principles in well-regarded standing like Merit-based, Experience, Qualified, Integrity, among others, are being crammed onto buses and aircraft to be shipped away quickly to now join rogues in poorly regarded standing, with names like liars, grifters, cheats and lickspittles in forced silence, all to form a new paradigm of governance for Great Leader.
‘How would it have been trying not to become burdened by what has been?’
Therapy free, for sure.