President Donald Trump plans to withdraw his nomination of Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur and close associate of Elon Musk’s, who was on track to be the next NASA administrator.

Trump told associates he intended to yank Isaacman’s nomination after learning that he had donated to prominent Democrats, according to three people with knowledge of the deliberations who were not authorized to discuss them publicly. It was the latest example of loyalty as a key criterion for administration roles.

In a statement Saturday, a White House spokesperson confirmed the nomination shake-up, saying a replacement would be announced by Trump soon.

The U-turn comes at a fraught moment for the space agency. NASA has so far been spared the deep cuts that have hit the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and other federal research agencies. But the Trump administration’s budget proposal for 2026 seeks to slice the space agency’s budget by one-quarter, lay off thousands of employees and end financing for a slew of current and future missions.

The Trump administration also wants to overhaul NASA’s human spaceflight program, ending the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule initiatives after the Artemis III mission that is to land astronauts on the moon in 2027 and adding money to send astronauts to Mars in the coming years, something that had been a priority for Musk.

People inside and outside NASA had hoped that Isaacman’s arrival as administrator would help provide stability and a clearer direction for the agency, which has been operating under an acting administrator since the beginning of Trump’s term.

Isaacman, who declined to comment when reached by phone Saturday, was informed of the decision Friday, which was also Musk’s last day in the White House as a special government employee.

Even if Trump announces a new choice relatively soon, the agency will face several more months before a top leader is in place.

Trump told associates he had learned from allies that Isaacman had donated to Democrats, including Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and former Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, as well as the California Democratic Party, during the past two campaign cycles, the people with knowledge of the deliberations said.

Isaacman’s nomination had been approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee with a 19-9 vote. He was scheduled to be confirmed by the full Senate next week.