‘Moon, Mars, And Beyond’: Trump’s NASA Pick Promises American Dominance In New Space Race

President Trump’s NASA administrator nominee, Jared Isaacman, vowed at his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday that America would dominate the new space race with China, with the agency focusing on simultaneous moon and Mars missions without requiring budget increases.

Isaacman testified in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, and when asked by committee chair Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) about the practicality of simultaneous moon and Mars missions, he didn’t flinch.

“I don’t think we have to make any tough trades here, Senator. I think if we can concentrate our resources at the world’s greatest space agency, we don’t have to make a binary decision of moon versus Mars or moon has to come first versus Mars,” Isaacman told the Senate Commerce Committee in response to questioning about NASA’s priorities.

“I think we can do the moon and Mars and beyond,” Isaacman said in response to similar questioning by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

The 42-year-old entrepreneur and astronaut delivered a stark warning about the growing competition with China in space, declaring that “space is the ultimate high ground. We cannot afford to cede that ground.”

When Senator Cruz displayed a poster depicting Chinese astronauts potentially beating Americans to the lunar surface, Isaacman confidently remarked, “Senator, I only see the left-hand portion of that poster,” referring to the part of the image showing American astronauts reaching the moon first.

“Senator, I only see the left hand side of that poster” – absolute mic drop moment from @rookisaacman at his confirmation hearing today to be the next @NASA Administrator! pic.twitter.com/ylKYIuNBHX

— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) April 9, 2025

If confirmed, Isaacman would bring significant private sector and spaceflight experience to NASA, having commanded and even personally funded multiple space missions, including Polaris Dawn in 2024, which featured the first commercial spacewalk by a civilian astronaut.

When pressed by Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) on whether the space agency could simultaneously pursue multiple ambitious goals given possible DOGE budget cuts, Isaacman insisted that NASA “was built to do the near impossible” and reminded Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) that NASA already has “a pretty extraordinary budget … it’s close to every federal law enforcement agency combined times two.”

Isaacman faced multiple questions about his relationship with SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who has been a key ally to the Trump administration. “my loyalty is to this nation, the space agency, and their world-changing mission,” Isaacman stated unequivocally in response to the Michigan Senator’s inquiry, “NASA is the customer. [SpaceX/Contractors] work for us, not the other way around.”

The nominee outlined an ambitious vision for America’s space agency beyond just moon and Mars missions, with his priorities including making NASA financially self-sustaining, investing in nuclear propulsion technology, recruiting top scientific talent, using social media to inspire young Americans about space exploration, and expanding deep space science missions with more probes, rovers, and telescopes.

The renewed focus on space exploration comes as China has rapidly advanced its own ambitions, recently announcing plans to establish a permanent lunar base by 2035. Beijing’s space program has seen unprecedented growth over the past decade, with successful missions to the far side of the moon and the deployment of its own space station. National security experts have increasingly warned that allowing China to establish dominance in space could threaten American technological superiority and military capabilities.

Isaacman, who founded payment processing company Shift4 Payments and has personally flown to space as commander of the all-civilian Inspiration4 mission, outlined specific strategies to make NASA financially self-sustaining. He emphasized the need to “unlock the true economic potential of space” by developing stronger partnerships between the agency, academic institutions, and private industry.

Isaacman concluded his testimony by reiterating his commitment to American leadership in space. “We will do this not just to expand our knowledge or strengthen our national security, but to improve all life on Earth and inspire the next generation to reach even further,” he said.

Trump announced Isaacman’s nomination in December 2024: “Over the past 25 years, as the Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company. He also co-founded and served as CEO of Draken International, a defense aerospace company, for over a decade, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense, and our Allies.”

“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump said on Truth Social.