President Trump had pulled the nomination of a close associate of Elon Musk to lead the agency in May. The decision fueled a public breakdown of their alliance.

President Donald Trump appointed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy the interim administrator of NASA in yet another blow to former ally Elon Musk.

The president previously rescinded his nomination of Jared Isaacman as the space agency’s next leader, citing the entrepreneur’s ties to Elon Musk.