Trump Meets Artemis II Crew Post-Lunar Journey

On Monday night, President Trump met with the Artemis II crew shortly after their groundbreaking lunar mission, referring to the astronauts as “pioneers of our time” and inviting them to visit the White House.

As the astronauts emerged from their historic crossing, Trump told them, “You made history and you made all of America really proud, incredibly proud.”

The crew, consisting of commander Reid Wiseman, specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, and pilot Victor Glover, set a new record for human extraterrestrial travel. The President expressed his amazement, saying, “Humanity has never actually seen anything like what we’re doing on a manned spacecraft.” He added, “It’s really special.”

Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman introduced the President to the crew, emphasizing his eagerness to welcome them back from the far side of the moon.

Trump, highlighting their achievements, stated, “It was my honor to speak with you all, and I wanted to congratulate each and every one of you.”

Curious about their experiences, the President asked about the most memorable moments of their journey. Reid Wiseman shared that they were able to see places on the moon that had never been viewed by humans.

Christina Koch mentioned that reconnecting with Earth after 45 minutes of silence was especially thrilling. “It really reminds us of what a special place we are,” she remarked.

When Trump inquired about the zero communication phase during their moon transit, pilot Victor Glover humorously responded, “I prayed a little bit,” before acknowledging they were busy recording scientific data.

Trump also sought insight into the differences between the lunar landscapes on either side of the moon. Mission specialist Jeremy Hansen explained that Earth’s gravity significantly influences those variations.

President Trump informed Hansen, a Canadian, that both hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Canadian PM Mark Carney had expressed pride in him for his role in the mission, joking, “I don’t know if they want to do that.”

Before concluding the call, Trump reiterated his invitation for the Artemis II crew to visit the White House, which they warmly accepted. He expressed his anticipation of meeting them in the Oval Office and requested autographs, saying, “I don’t often ask for autographs, but you deserve one because you’re such great people.”

As they prepare for their return, it will take the crew about four days to reach Earth, with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego expected around 8:07 p.m. ET on Friday.