Donald Trump praises Artemis astronauts- You ve made history

On Monday, April 6, U.S. President Donald Trump reached out to the Artemis astronauts orbiting the Moon to congratulate them for making "history." He expressed that they have "made all America really proud, incredibly proud." Trump referred to them as "modern-day pioneers" before engaging in a friendly chat with the three American astronauts and one Canadian who are on a groundbreaking 10-day mission around Earth's moon. He acknowledged their bravery by saying, "You’ve got a lot of courage doing what you’re doing," while celebrating NASA’s first lunar flyby in over 50 years. Trump emphasized 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 also took credit for reviving the space program. During a short Q&A session, he asked about the dark side of the moon and what it felt like to lose communication with Earth during that phase of the flight. Artemis pilot Victor Glover replied, "I said a little prayer, but then I had to keep rolling," adding that he was busy recording scientific observations of the far side of the Moon. The 79-year-old Republican noted that he had also spoken with Canada's leader and hockey star Wayne Gretzky regarding Canada's involvement in the mission. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen thanked Trump for American "space leadership" and described the mission as a "mutually beneficial goal." Hansen remarked, "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," and added, "Canadians are so proud to be a part of this program."