Trump Hails Artemis II Crew as “Modern-Day Pioneers”
President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated the four Artemis II astronauts circling the Moon, praising them as “modern-day pioneers” who have “made all America really proud, incredibly proud” following their record-breaking journey to the lunar far side .
The 12-minute call, which occurred late Monday evening, connected the President with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The crew had earlier in the day surpassed the Apollo 13 distance record, becoming the farthest-traveled humans in history at approximately 252,756 miles from Earth .
“You really are modern-day pioneers — all of you,” Trump said during the conversation. “You’ve got a lot of courage doing what you’re doing” .
The mission, launched on April 1 aboard NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, marks the first human flight to the Moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. During their 10-day journey, the crew conducted a seven-hour observation period of the lunar surface, including views of the far side never before seen by human eyes .
Trump conducted a brief question-and-answer session with the astronauts, asking about their experience during the 40-minute communications blackout while orbiting the Moon’s far side. Pilot Victor Glover responded, “I said a little prayer, but then I had to keep rolling. I was actually recording scientific observations of the far side of the Moon” .
The President also referenced conversations with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky regarding Canada’s participation in the mission. “You have a special person over there, a neighbor,” Trump told Hansen .
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Hansen thanked Trump for American “space leadership,” describing the mission as “a mutually beneficial goal.” He stated, “A nation that leads like [the US] and creates and sets big goals for humanity that brings other countries along with it, is truly incredible” .
The call experienced a notable technical interruption when approximately one minute of silence occurred, which Trump attributed to a “nine-second delay” due to the distance . Commander Reid Wiseman requested a communications check to confirm the President was still on the line before the conversation resumed .
Trump credited his administration with reviving the space program, stating, “America will be second to none in space and everything we’re doing, and we will continue to lead the whole thing into the stars” . He also referenced the U.S. Space Force, calling it “my baby” and “one of the most important type of decisions I’ve ever made” .
The President concluded by inviting the crew to the White House upon their return. “Congratulations to everybody. I’ll see you at the Oval Office,” he said . The astronauts are scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on Friday .