US President Donald Trump told the Artemis II astronauts during a call from above the moon on Monday that he had saved Nasa from closure, despite repeatedly proposing significant budget cuts to the space agency. The 12-minute conversation took place after the crew set a record for the farthest-traveled humans from Earth.
The call, facilitated by Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman, featured awkward silences and Trump's repeated references to his friendship with Canadian ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. Trump said he had faced a decision in his first term over whether to revive or close Nasa, and that reviving it was an easy choice.
However, Trump has consistently sought to reduce Nasa's overall spending. After his second term began in early 2025, the White House proposed a 24% cut to the Nasa budget, to $18.8bn, which experts described as extinction-level reductions for science programs. Congress opposed the cuts, passing an almost fully funded budget of $24.4bn in January.
On 3 April, two days after Artemis II launched, Trump unveiled a 2027 budget request with another 23% reduction. Democrats have promised to fight the move, while Isaacman urged staff to leave politics to politicians. During the call, Trump praised the crew for inspiring the world and said America will lead in space.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen thanked the US for including Canada, prompting Trump to mention conversations with Gretzky and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. After a long silence, commander Reid Wiseman confirmed they had heard. Trump invited the crew to an Oval Office reception after their planned splashdown on Friday, saying he would ask for their autographs.
