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The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Sean Duffy is Trump pick for NASA interim head
Trump, though, gave Duffy a glowing vote of confidence when announcing his new appointment. "He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time," Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday, July 9. NASA funding: Dozens of NASA space missions could be axed under Trump's budget Here's everything to know about Duffy, the former Wisconsin Republican Congressman and reality TV star who will lead the world's largest space agency. Trump picks transportation secretary Sean Duffy for NASA acting administrator Duffy will serve as the interim administrator of NASA as the Trump administration continues to search for a candidate to formally take over the post for the rest of the president's term. "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," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Congratulations, and thank you, Sean." ???? Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let's launch. ???????????? — Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) July 10, 2025 In his own post on X shortly after the president's announcement, Duffy said he is "honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let's launch. Who is Sean Duffy? What to know about NASA's new head Duffy, 53, was confirmed Jan. 28 by the Senate as U.S. transportation secretary. His tenure was immediately marked by tragedy after a fatal aviation crash near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people At his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, Duffy said he would prioritize adding more air traffic controllers to improve aviation safety while promising to work with Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates Boeing, to restore international confidence in the plane manufacturer after fatal crashes overseas. Prior to serving in the Trump Administration, Duffy represented Wisconsin in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. But long before his political career, Duffy was a reality television star. He began his television career on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" during its sixth season and even met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, who hosts "Fox & Friends Weekend," while filming for an MTV show. Duffy to replace Janet Petro Since Trump's inauguration, NASA has been led by Acting Administrator Janet Petro. A veteran NASA executive, Petro will step down from her role to make way for Duffy, the New York Times reported. Why did Trump drop Jared Isaacman as NASA nominee? Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who has been to space twice under missions he bankrolled with SpaceX, had been Trump's first pick to lead NASA. Isaacman's nomination was well-received by most of the space community and members of Congress. But at a critical time when the U.S. space agency is preparing to return humans to the moon and send the first astronauts to Mars, Trump suddenly pulled Isaacman's bid in late-May. The decision came after Isaacman had cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in April and appeared on track for a full Senate vote. A bit of clarification--though I don't think my circumstances are particularly interesting or consequential. That said, and regardless of the points below, the President is entitled to assemble the leadership team he believes will best serve his administration. I have been... — Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) July 7, 2025 Trump discussed Isaacman's nomination July 6 in a long social media post bashing his former ally and advisor Elon Musk, saying he thought it would have been "inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon ... run NASA." Trump further said of Isaacman that he "was surprised to learn that he was a blue-blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before." Isaacman pushed back against Trump's claims in a post Monday, July 7 on X, describing himself as an apolitical "right-leaning moderate." Could more than 2,000 senior employees quit at NASA? Duffy is set to take over an agency that has undergone workforce reductions and is preparing for a potential massive looming budget cut. Trump's proposed budget for the next fiscal year would slash NASA funding by nearly 25% - from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion - mostly by eliminating a significant portion of the agency's science portfolio. And on July 10, news broke that around 2,145 senior-ranking employees at NASA are set to leave under a push to shed staff, Politico reported, citing documents obtained by the news outlet. Most employees leaving are in senior-level government positions, the report said, adding that the agency has offered staff early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignations. Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY; Reuters Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
USA Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Who is Sean Duffy? What to know about Trump's pick for interim head of NASA
News of Duffy's appointment comes during a turbulent period in NASA's history, as the U.S. space agency faces potentially steep budget cuts and has grappled with workforce reductions Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is about to perform double duty after President Donald Trump named him to lead NASA on an interim basis. News of Duffy's appointment comes during a turbulent period in NASA's history, as the U.S. space agency faces potentially steep budget cuts and has grappled with workforce reductions. What's more, NASA has found itself without a full-time administrator since Bill Nelson stepped down on Jan. 20, the day of Trump's inauguration. Trump, though, gave Duffy a glowing vote of confidence when announcing his new appointment. 'He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,' Trump said in a Truth Social post Wednesday, July 9. NASA funding: Dozens of NASA space missions could be axed under Trump's budget Here's everything to know about Duffy, the former Wisconsin Republican Congressman and reality TV star who will lead the world's largest space agency. Trump picks transportation secretary Sean Duffy for NASA acting administrator Duffy will serve as the interim administrator of NASA as the Trump administration continues to search for a candidate to formally take over the post for the rest of the president's term. '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," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Congratulations, and thank you, Sean." In his own post on X shortly after the president's announcement, Duffy said he is 'honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let's launch. Who is Sean Duffy? What to know about NASA's new head Duffy, 53, was confirmed Jan. 28 by the Senate as U.S. transportation secretary. His tenure was immediately marked by tragedy after a fatal aviation crash near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people At his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, Duffy said he would prioritize adding more air traffic controllers to improve aviation safety while promising to work with Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates Boeing, to restore international confidence in the plane manufacturer after fatal crashes overseas. Prior to serving in the Trump Administration, Duffy represented Wisconsin in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. But long before his political career, Duffy was a reality television star. He began his television career on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" during its sixth season and even met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, who hosts 'Fox & Friends Weekend," while filming for an MTV show. Duffy to replace Janet Petro Since Trump's inauguration, NASA has been led by Acting Administrator Janet Petro. A veteran NASA executive, Petro will step down from her role to make way for Duffy, the New York Times reported. Why did Trump drop Jared Isaacman as NASA nominee? Billionaire Jared Isaacman, who has been to space twice under missions he bankrolled with SpaceX, had been Trump's first pick to lead NASA. Isaacman's nomination was well-received by most of the space community and members of Congress. But at a critical time when the U.S. space agency is preparing to return humans to the moon and send the first astronauts to Mars, Trump suddenly pulled Isaacman's bid in late-May. The decision came after Isaacman had cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in April and appeared on track for a full Senate vote. Trump discussed Isaacman's nomination July 6 in a long social media post bashing his former ally and advisor Elon Musk, saying he thought it would have been 'inappropriate that a very close friend of Elon … run NASA.' Trump further said of Isaacman that he "was surprised to learn that he was a blue-blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before." Isaacman pushed back against Trump's claims in a post Monday, July 7 on X, describing himself as an apolitical "right-leaning moderate." Could more than 2,000 senior employees quit at NASA? Duffy is set to take over an agency that has undergone workforce reductions and is preparing for a potential massive looming budget cut. Trump's proposed budget for the next fiscal year would slash NASA funding by nearly 25% – from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion – mostly by eliminating a significant portion of the agency's science portfolio. And on July 10, news broke that around 2,145 senior-ranking employees at NASA are set to leave under a push to shed staff, Politico reported, citing documents obtained by the news outlet. Most employees leaving are in senior-level government positions, the report said, adding that the agency has offered staff early retirement, buyouts and deferred resignations. Contributing: Bart Jansen, USA TODAY; Reuters Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Sean Duffy, Donald Trump's unexpected pick for interim NASA chief: Once a reality TV star
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday gave his secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, an additional responsibility to serve as the interim administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). US transportation secretary Sean Duffy is an old hand from TV and politics. (Getty Images via AFP) Though the NASA administrator role has remained vacant since Trump withdrew his initial nominee, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, Duffy's appointment still comes as a bolt out of the blue. The Republican leader made the announcement on Wednesday through a post on his social media platform, Truth Social. According to Donald Trump, Sean Duffy will be "a fantastic leader of the ever-more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time." Before Duffy's appointment to the post, Donald Trump withdrew Jared Isaacman's nomination in May, citing a review of his 'prior associations.' SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, whose feud with Trump has been making waves since late May, had backed Isaacman for the post. Know Sean Duffy: Stints include MTV, US Congress Born on October 3, 1971, Sean Duffy is a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin. His resume also includes stints as a lumberjack athlete, reality TV star, prosecutor and Fox News host. Duffy began his career in the public eye when he featured on MTV's 'The Real World: Boston' in 1997. He also worked in MTV's 'Road Rules: All Stars', where he met his wife and future 'Fox & Friends Weekend' co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy in 1998. He has nine kids. Duffy then went on to become a special prosecutor and later the district attorney of Ashland County in northern Wisconsin. He entered the US Congress on a Republican ticket in 2010, riding the Tea Party wave. His advertisement, showing him as a lumberjack, became pretty famous and featured him saying that he would take his axe to Washington. In his nine-year stint in Congress, Duffy served on the Financial Services Committee and was the chair of the subcommittee on insurance and housing. In 2019, he quit Congress to become a contributor to Fox News before being picked by Donald Trump as his transportation secretary in the second term that began in January 2025.
India Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Who is Sean Duffy, the unexpected choice for NASA's interim administrator?
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to serve as the interim administrator of NASA, a role that has remained vacant since Trump withdrew his initial nominee. His appointment follows the presidential withdrawal of the nomination of tech billionaire Jared made the announcement Wednesday on his Truth Social platform, saying Duffy will be "a fantastic leader of the ever-more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time."advertisementTrump withdrew Isaacman's nomination in May, citing a review of his 'prior associations.' Duffy will temporarily take over the post that has been in the spotlight due to Trump's feud with billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Isaacman. A former Republican congressman from Wisconsin, Duffy's resume includes stints as a lumberjack athlete, reality TV star, prosecutor and Fox News was featured on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" in 1997 and met his his wife, "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, on the set of MTV's "Road Rules: All Stars" in later worked as a special prosecutor and the district attorney of Ashland County in northern Wisconsin. He won election to Congress as part of the tea party wave in UNDERDOG TO POLITICAL FIGUREWhen he first ran for Congress, Duffy was considered an underdog. But he attracted national attention with his campaign ads, which featured him dramatically chopping wood while donning a red flannel shirt. He told voters he came from a 'long line of lumberjacks' and would bring his axe to served in the House for nearly nine years. He was a member of the Financial Services Committee and chair of the subcommittee on insurance and leaving Congress in 2019, citing the need to care for his growing family, Duffy became a contributor to Fox News and one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable television. He served as co-host of 'The Bottom Line' on Fox Business before being picked for the new was one of several Fox personalities that Trump chose to fill his Cabinet, including Pete Hegseth, the new defense has nine children, the youngest of whom was born with a heart follows reports that the administration plans to cut over 2,100 senior NASA staff through early retirements, buyouts, and delayed resignations, aligning with Trump's announcement.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesMust Watch
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
White House Hangs Hegseth Out to Dry for Rogue Arms Move
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized pausing military assistance to Ukraine last week, but did not inform the White House of his crucial decision. As CNN reports, Hegseth's rogue move led to chaos in the White House, with the Trump administration frantically trying to figure out why the weapons shipments had been stopped—then having to justify the action to both Congress and the Ukrainian government. Despite the decision lying directly with Hegseth, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN that the president 'has full confidence' in Hegseth's abilities after his latest mishap. On Tuesday, Trump was asked about the U.S. resuming sending key weapons to Ukraine as it battles the ongoing invasion spearheaded by Russian President Vladimir Putin. 'Putin is not... he's not treating human beings right,' Trump said. 'He's killing too many people. So we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I've approved that.' CNN's Kaitlan Collins then asked Trump who ordered the pause last week. He sidestepped a direct answer, instead asking, 'I don't know, why don't you tell me?' Hegseth, who was seated next to the president, remained silent. Trump first flagged the resumption of military assistance to Ukraine on Monday, noting, 'We're going to have to send more weapons, defensive weapons, primarily. But they're getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess.' Once again, Hegseth was seated next to Trump as he made the announcement at a dinner at the White House attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Secretary of Defense had also previously paused weapons being sent to Ukraine in both February and May. The U.S. aid to Ukraine is predominantly interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, which protect their civilians from Russia's drone attacks. CNN quoted sources saying Hegseth's latest halting of military assistance caught senior national security officials off guard. That included the U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, Ret. Gen. Keith Kellogg, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reportedly only learned of the pause from media coverage. The report also cited two sources who believed Hegseth not updating the White House on his actions over Ukraine could be due to having no chief of staff or trusted advisors around him. Until last year, Hegseth was a co-host on Fox & Friends Weekend. On Tuesday, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell fired up on X at the CNN report, calling the story 'a complete and total fabrication.' Parnell added, 'One of the CNN 'journalists' involved in this fake narrative is a well-established hoaxer. We made sure to mention that in our comment, but CNN omitted it from the story.' Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told the Daily Beast in a statement, 'It is the job of the Secretary of Defense to make military recommendations to the Commander-in-Chief. Secretary Hegseth provided a framework for the President to evaluate military aid shipments and assess existing stockpiles.' It continued, 'This effort was coordinated across government. The Department will continue to give the President robust options regarding military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end and putting America First.' The White House did not immediately return the Daily Beast's request for comment. Last week, Politico reported that the Pentagon's policy chief Elbridge Colby cited concerns that U.S. weapon stockpiles were too low behind the latest pause of air defense missiles and precision munitions to Ukraine. However Democratic congressman Adam Smith, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, told NBC News those claims did not stack up. 'We are not at any lower point, stockpile-wise, than we've been in the three and a half years of the Ukraine conflict,' Smith said, adding 'the numbers' of available stockpiles do not justify stopping aid to Ukraine. Colby's decisions have blindsided key White House staff, according to a Politico report citing anonymous sources, though Parnell stated that there is 'zero daylight' between Hegseth and Colby. As well as being involved in the most recent pause of weapons to Ukraine, Colby shocked officials last month by calling for a review into America's submarine pact with Australia and the U.K. 'He is pissing off just about everyone I know inside the administration,' a source familiar with Colby's actions told Politico. 'They all view him as the guy who's going to make the U.S. do less in the world in general.'
