Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has been serving as acting Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since July 2025, is at the centre of an intensifying leadership battle as he reportedly seeks to secure the permanent top job.At the same time, former nominee Jared Isaacman — a tech entrepreneur and ally of Elon Musk — is re-emerging as a leading contender for the role he was initially tapped for, creating tensions that have spilled into public view.

According to informed sources, Duffy privately made clear not only his preference to remain at NASA but also his intent to restructure the agency under his authority by folding it into the Department of Transportation.

Though a spokesperson for Duffy denied he has formally asked to retain the permanent role, the official did suggest NASA “might benefit from being part of the Cabinet, maybe even within the Department of Transportation.”

The emerging contest has provoked frustration within the White House, where some officials complain that Duffy bypassed standard vetting channels by engaging directly with President Donald Trump and seeking involvement in candidate interviews.

Duffy and his team reportedly interviewed Isaacman on October 13 as part of the process, though the White House views Isaacman as the front-runner and has privately praised Duffy’s contribution while emphasising that the nomination process remains the president’s decision.

On the commercial-space front, Musk publicly attacked Duffy, branding him “Sean Dummy” and accusing him of “trying to kill NASA!” in a series of posts on X. Musk’s ire was prompted by Duffy’s remarks questioning scheduling at Musk’s company SpaceX and NASA’s reliance on its lunar-lander contract.

The feud highlights the friction between the agency’s leadership uncertainty and the broader commercial space-industry rollout.

Industry insiders note that Duffy’s dual role as Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator — combined with his reportedly strong connection to President Trump — gives him leverage, but also raises concerns over his space-policy credentials and the agency’s independence.

Isaacman retains broad support from both the space-industry and congressional observers, improving the odds of his nomination despite earlier withdrawal by the president this year.

With the appointment unresolved and NASA facing critical program decisions including lunar-lander competitions and budget re-allocations, the leadership vacuum may weigh on the agency’s ability to execute its mission amid rising U.S.-China competition in space.

The White House continues to review contenders, with a timeline for formal nomination still unclear.

The choice of NASA’s next leader is now seen as a proxy battle over the direction of U.S. space strategy, commercial partnerships and agency autonomy — with Sean Duffy firmly in the ring alongside Jared Isaacman for the role.

As the drama unfolds publicly, the resolution of the contest will signal more than personal ambition: it will reflect President Trump’s vision for America’s next chapter in space exploration and industrial policy.