During a speech at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday, former President Donald Trump acknowledged the Artemis II mission crew but redirected the focus to himself, weaving personal remarks into a tribute to the astronauts. The event was held while Trump was in Texas to campaign for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton.
Trump's remarks came as he prepared to award the Artemis II crew with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. The former president recounted how the crew named a lunar crater in memory of the late wife of NASA Commander Reid Wiseman. Wiseman's wife, Carroll, died of cancer in 2020. "I wish they’d name something like that after me, Reid, but I don’t know," Trump said, adding, "I’ll have to get the governor’s approval."
Earlier in their April mission, Wiseman and his crewmates, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, announced the naming of the crater "Carroll" in honor of the pediatric nurse practitioner. Hansen described it as a "bright spot on the moon."
In his address, Trump also shared a personal connection to space exploration, mentioning his uncle, Dr. John Trump, a scientist at MIT. "He used to tell me about space," Trump recalled, adding that his uncle "would throw in the word nuclear every once in a while."
Trump also used the occasion to criticize previous administrations, stating that under "a number of administrations," particularly the Obama administration, the United States had lost its capacity to send astronauts into orbit. He claimed the nation "totally lost" its space capabilities.
During his speech, Trump also commented on the state of the country, asserting, "This country is doing great right now." He cited "81 stock market highs in 1 1/2 years," despite what the source notes as rising inflation and living costs during an ongoing conflict with Iran. The audience, comprised of astronauts, scientists, and engineers, reportedly showed little enthusiasm for Trump's remarks, remaining largely emotionless throughout his address.