Washington D.C. – Former President Donald Trump may be one step closer to reinstating Pluto’s planetary status. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly endorsed the idea in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Isaacman stated, “I fully support President Trump making Pluto great again.” The debate surrounding Pluto’s classification has persisted since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reclassified it as a “dwarf planet” in 2006. The IAU argued that Pluto’s orbit around the Sun wasn’t “clear” and didn’t meet the three criteria necessary for planetary designation.
The potential move highlights a renewed interest in revisiting established scientific classifications, a trend often fueled by public sentiment and political will. Pluto was first discovered in 1930 by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, a Kansas native who made the discovery at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
“I believe we owe it to everyone in Kansas and their great contributions to astronomy and the aerospace sector to correctly restore this discovery as a planet,” Isaacman added. This isn’t the first time calls to restore Pluto’s planetary status have gained traction; former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Elon Musk, and William Shatner have all previously voiced their support for the change.
Isaacman discussed his support for reclassifying Pluto as a planet with the Daily Mail. Pluto was downgraded from its ninth planetary status to a dwarf planet in 2006, but NASA experts and others have continued to challenge that decision. The administrator spoke with the Daily Mail about the future of space exploration prior to the Artemis II crewed mission to the Moon.
