US President Donald Trump on Monday called and congratulated the crew of NASA’s Artemis program spacecraft as they orbited the Moon, commending them for making “history” and saying their achievement has made “all America really proud, incredibly proud.”
“You really are modern-day pioneers — all of you,” Trump told the three Americans and one Canadian on the 10-day lunar flyby mission, NASA’s first around the Moon in more than 50 years.
Trump praised the astronauts’ courage and expressed confidence that “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, this incredible journey into the stars.” He credited himself for having supported the space program in the past, saying his actions had helped sustain US leadership in space exploration.
During a brief question-and-answer exchange, Trump asked the crew about the dark side of the Moon and how it felt to be temporarily out of communication with Earth. Victor Glover, the Artemis pilot, replied, “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.”
Trump also highlighted Canada’s involvement in the mission, noting he had spoken with Canadian Prime Minister and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky about the country’s participation.
Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency thanked Trump for American “space leadership” and described the mission as a “mutually beneficial goal.” Hansen added, “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. Canadians are so proud to be a part of this program.”
Trump concluded the call by inviting the astronauts to the White House, saying, “Congratulations to everybody. I’ll see you at the Oval Office.”
