Trump praises NASA chief’s ‘beautiful ears’, jokes about ‘super hearing’ during White House event
US President Donald Trump made a light-hearted remark about NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during a White House exchange, briefly shifting focus from policy questions. According to Metro UK, Trump redirected a reporter’s question to Isaacman, saying he was best placed to respond.
He then added: “You heard that question with those beautiful ears of yours? He’s got great hearing… he’s got super hearing,” prompting reactions from those present.
Isaacman replied: “Trick of the trade, sir.”
Event moves back to space achievements
The interaction took place during an event centered on NASA’s work, where Trump went on to praise the officials and astronauts present.
“I’m very proud of these people. They have unbelievable courage,” he said, emphasizing the demands of space missions. He also joked about his own fitness, suggesting he would have “no trouble” qualifying physically for such missions.
At one point, Trump asked whether a sitting president could travel to space, to which Isaacman responded: “We can get working on that, sir! If we can put up more rockets, there are more opportunities.”
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Isaacman, who took charge as NASA administrator in December, is a billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut. He commanded Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital mission launched in 2021, and later led Polaris Dawn, where he became the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk.
In his current role, he is responsible for overseeing NASA’s programs and advocating for funding decisions, including those under the Trump administration.
NASA leadership
Isaacman’s appointment has drawn attention due to his links with SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk. Critics have raised concerns about potential overlaps between NASA’s priorities and private-sector ambitions, particularly regarding Mars exploration.
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Debate has also intensified following suggestions about the future of the International Space Station, adding to scrutiny around NASA’s long-term strategy.
Pluto debate resurfaces
Separately, Isaacman recently weighed in on the long-standing debate over Pluto’s status.
“I am very much in the camp of ‘make Pluto a planet again,’” he said, indicating that discussions within the scientific community could revisit the issue.