Keith’s note: Testimony from Jared Isaacman at his confirmation hearing on 3 December 2025: “Thank you Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and distinguished members of the committee. I am honored and grateful to be here before you again as President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” More below.
To begin, I would like to acknowledge my family—my parents, Sandy and Don Isaacman, my wife Monica, and my two wonderful daughters, Mila and Liv. Over the years, I have found many ways to challenge their patience, and politics is certainly no exception. We are also joined today by 8 astronauts, some of my closest friends and crewmates together with retired NASA astronauts that have come to this hearing in support.
As mentioned before, I have lived the American dream. I have been fortunate to have an amazing business and aeronautics career, to have led two notable missions to space, to help charitable causes that matter deeply to my family, and now I am beyond thankful to have a chance to repay my debt to this nation by serving alongside the brilliant minds at the world’s most accomplished space agency.
The last time I sat before you, I introduced myself, my qualifications, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. This time, I am here with a message of urgency.
After more than a half-century, America is set to launch NASA astronauts around the Moon in just a matter of months–a challenging endeavor to say the least– and one that requires fulltime leadership. Secretary Duffy, in his letter to this committee endorsing my nomination, emphasized this point. That message is shared by more than two dozen other letters of support, including an online petition started by members of the NASA workforce and a letter from 36 NASA astronauts–who, like me, have sat through anomaly investigations, launch and flight readiness reviews, have accepted the risks of going to space, and understand what is at stake.
And I know it is not lost on anyone in this room that we are in a great competition with a rival that has the will and means to challenge American exceptionalism across multiple domains, including in the high ground of space. This is not the time for delay, but for action, because if we fall behind–if we make a mistake–we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth.
The Congress, and specifically this Committee, understand the urgency of the moment – placing a historic investment in human space exploration that President Trump signed in the one big beautiful bill. It’s now time for NASA and our partners to deliver.
To that end, I want to assure you, Senators, I am not here for personal gain, to favor or enrich contractors, to close centers, or to disrupt programs essential to completing America’s objectives in space. If confirmed, I am here to bring urgency and an extreme focus to the mission–to do all I can working with the best and brightest at NASA to lead humanity’s effort to unlock the secrets of the universe and ensure American leadership across the last great frontier. In concert with that grand endeavor, we will ensure the following:
The success of the Artemis program that President Trump began during his first term. America will return to the Moon before our great rival, and we will establish an enduring presence to understand and realize the scientific, economic, and national security value on the lunar surface.
Along the way, we will pioneer the next ‘giant leap’ capabilities to extend America’s reach even further into space, including expanding and accelerating investments into nuclear propulsion and surface power programs. These efforts, in addition to industry partners building reusable launch vehicles, we will set the stage for future missions to Mars and beyond.
We will never accept a gap in capabilities again–not with our space station presence in low Earth orbit or our ability to send American astronauts to the Moon.
We will strive to build an orbital and lunar economy that can fund the future we all want to see in space and not rely exclusively on the taxpayer. We will begin making the investments now for the inevitable spacefaring future that is just on the horizon.
We will make the most efficient use of every dollar allocated–pushing for more xplanes, more rovers & telescopes, more exciting missions like Hubble, James Webb, and Dragonfly with the aim of enlightening the world through breakthrough scientific discoveries–knowing that if NASA doesn’t do it, no one else will.
Some of the most talented people in America show up to work at NASA. Alongside a reinvigorated culture and intense focus on achieving the near-impossible–what no other organization is capable of or dares to accomplish–we will achieve these objectives…And when, not if, we get the job done–it will be because of the professionals at NASA, our international & commercial partners, this committee and Congress, and President Trump’s administration that will have succeeded in ushering in a new golden age of science and discovery. We will do it for America, for humankind, and in doing so, we will inspire the world and the generations to follow to take us even farther. We are just getting started on the greatest adventure in human history—and with urgency, purpose, and extreme focus on the mission, NASA will lead the way.
Thank you.