July 10 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday named Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to also serve as interim NASA administrator.
Janet Petro, a former leader of the Kennedy Space Center, has been the agency's acting administrator since Trump became president on Jan. 20. The administrator reports directly to the president.
"Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our Country's Transportation Affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art Air Traffic Control systems, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again," the president wrote in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday. "He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time. Congratulations, and thank you, Sean."
Duffy, a lawyer and broadcaster who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2002 to 2010, has no science background.
"Honored to accept this mission," Duffy posted on X. "Time to take over space. Let's launch."
