Key MAGA voices are turning on Donald Trump’s acting administrator of NASA as a right-wing race to run the space agency intensifies.
Sean Duffy, a former The Real World star, was appointed the Secretary of Transportation in January and has been doing double duty as the acting administrator of NASA since July.
While Duffy reportedly wants keep his job and fold NASA into the Department of Transportation, according to the Wall Street Journal, another player has re-entered the power struggle, with some influential MAGA support.
Astronaut, pilot and tech billionaire Jared Isaacman is also vying for the top job at NASA, and is closely linked to Elon Musk. Trump had nominated Isaacman for the job last December before withdrawing his nomination in June.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks alongside Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN) during a press conference on air traffic controller pay and the government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on October 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Eric Lee/Getty Images
Key MAGA figures are now backing Isaacman for another run at the top gig. Conservative broadcaster Benny Johnson shared a 10-minute video flying with Isaacman in a fighter jet over Montana.
The video, posted on Sunday, sees Johnson endorsing Isaacman to head NASA, pointing out Trump withdrew his nomination over “a little scuffle” with Elon Musk.
He appears to be referring to the start of Musk’s clash with Trump over the ‘big beautiful bill’, which culminated in the billionaire claiming the president was not releasing the Epstein files as he featured in them. He later deleted the X post.
“I can’t think of anyone more qualified,” Johnson said of Isaacman, calling him “the man who could save NASA.”
Jared Isaacman, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator, testifies during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
At the end of the video, Johnson said “he felt fully American” flying with Isaacman, “even though we were flying foreign aircraft.”
“I don’t know who Trump is gonna pick as the NASA administrator,” Johnson stated to his 4 million followers. “But I do know someone like Jared Isaacman just wants America to win and hates Commies, and that’s good enough for me, man.”
“If you’ve done the only commercial space walk in history to boot, you’re a literal astronaut, that just makes sense,” he added.
“I’ll say this, Jared Isaacman for NASA Administrator,” Johnson said. “I trusted the guy with my life and it worked out, I’ll trust him to take us to the moon and Mars and who knows where.”
Right-wing conspiracy theorist and Trump ally Laura Loomer also threw her weight behind Isaacman, branding him “an American space icon & a patriot.”
“He’s the most qualified person to be NASA Administrator, & it’s not even up for debate,” Loomer said on X. “Our country would be incredibly lucky to have him leading NASA.”
US President Donald Trump, with US Congressman Sean Duffy (L), speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House on January 24, 2019. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
Loomer has supported Isaacman for the role previously on X. In June, before Trump withdrew his nomination for Isaacman, she posted “There is reason to believe that Isaacman may be facing retaliation because of his friendship with Elon Musk.”
After Trump posted his decision, Loomer claimed, “Isaacman was set to have his Senate Confirmation hearing this week. The nomination was pulled over Isaacman’s previous donations to Senate Democrats.”
Loomer added of Isaacman, “I don’t like his Democrat donations, but it doesn’t erase his qualifications or his resume. And yes, he is a registered Republican.”
In July, Trump slammed Musk in a Truth Social post, and while he did not mention Isaacman by name, he wrote “Elon asked that one of his close friends run NASA and, while I thought his friend was very good, I was surprised to learn that he was a blue blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before.”
Musk turned on Duffy, also an ex-lumberjack, last week after the acting administrator said NASA may bypass Musk’s SpaceX and use a different company to land astronauts on the moon.
The Tesla CEO used his platform X to call Duffy “Sean Dummy” and said he had a “2 digit IQ”, noting “Should someone whose biggest claim to fame is climbing trees be running America’s space program?”
The Daily Beast has contacted the Department of Transportation for comment.
Last week Duffy had reportedly turned White House officials against him for appearing to favor his goal of becoming NASA Administrator full time ahead of the administration’s interests.
“Everyone, and I mean everyone in the West Wing, is furious at him,” one source told NOTUS.