Jared Isaacman, the nominee to serve as administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has a concerning history of being a significant donor to Democratic Party candidates, as well as Democrat-aligned SuperPACs and campaign committees. Additionally, two companies founded by Isaacman heavily promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives (DEI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs—both of which push a radical progressive political agenda.
Technology and space exploration billionaire Elon Musk is likely pushing for Isaacman’s nomination. Isaacman served as the commander of Musk’s SpaceX’s Inspiration4 private space flight mission, as well as its Polaris Dawn mission launched in 2024. He was the first private citizen to perform an EVA spacewalk.
DEMOCRAT DONOR.
Since 2010, Isaacman has given nearly $300,000 to candidates and political committees—with almost all of the money going to Democratic Party entities and lawmakers. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) data, Isaacman—during the 2024 election cycle—gave $3,300 to Senate Jon Tester’s (D-MT) failed election bid. Meanwhile, he contributed $6,600 to Representative Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who narrowly defeated former Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI) for Michigan’s open Senate seat.
Additionally, the technology entrepreneur invested heavily in Democratic Party efforts in Pennsylvania—giving the state party $10,000 in July of this year, contributing $3,3000 directly to Senator Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA), and giving another $15,400 to Casey’s joint fundraising committee. Casey would go on to lose re-election to his Republican challenger, Dave McCormick.
The NASA administrator nominee was also active on behalf of Democrats during the 2022 mid-term election cycle. Isaacman contributed nearly $60,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Additionally, he gave $100,000 to the Senate Majority PAC controlled by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Notably, Schumer himself also received $5,800 from Isaacman.
Other Democrats receiving contributions include $2,900.00 for Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ), $5,800 for Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA), $2,900 for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), $2,900 for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and $2,900 for both Sens. Tester and Casey.
Between 2010 and 2016, Isaacman gave less than $10,000 to Republican candidates.
DEI AND ESG PROMOTOR.
In addition to his significant support for Democratic politicians, Isaacman founded companies Shift4 Payments (a payment processing firm) and Draken International (an aerospace and defense contractor), which are major promoters of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs. Shift4 Payments provides investors with an ESG factsheet that touts the company’s net-zero water usage, net-zero carbon emissions, and its use of renewable energy.
In addition, the Shift4 Payments investor fact sheet notes the company’s commitment to DEI. It states that 35 percent of the company’s workforce is female, while 41 percent is black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Shift4 Payments also maintains two DEI workforce networks: ‘Women @ Shift4’ and ‘Pride @ Shift4.’
Meanwhile, Draken International similarly promotes a DEI agenda in the workplace. The company sponsored the 2024 Inclusivity in Aviation Reception, which was hosted at the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Draken announced its sponsorship in a LinkedIn post: “We were thrilled to sponsor this event once again, following the inaugural ‘Women in Aviation’ event in 2022. We did so not because we consider Draken as a paragon of virtue when it comes to inclusivity. Quite the opposite. Like our fellow sponsors Lockheed Martin, we are on a path—and that path will see companies such as ours broaden the appeal of a career in aviation to sectors of society that, to date, have been excluded.”
WHITE GUYS IN SPACE.
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of Isaacman’s background is his comments regarding the need for greater diversity in space exploration. Before the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, Isaacman, speaking with the Unleash Your Greatness Within podcast host TJ Hoisington, lamented that private space flight is dominated by “rich white guys.”
“I did not want four rich white guys that are going up into space,” Isaacman told Hoisington, stressing the importance of having a diverse mission crew for Inspiration4.
Isaacman repeated a similar line during a 2021 interview with the New York Times, stating he deliberately set up the selection of the passengers on the Inspiration4 mission to ensure diversity. “Is it going to represent all of the people of Earth and not just rich white guys?” he told the NYT at the time.
