Trending Now - Trump Seizes Artemis II Opportunity to Define His Legacy
WHO:
The New York Times - Jared Isaacman recounted a conversation with Trump where he inquired about Mars missions and nuclear rockets.
The New York Times - Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator
Alternet - President Trump
Alternet - Retired astronaut Cady Coleman
Alternet - Apollo 17 moon walker Harrison H. Schmitt
WHAT:
Alternet - The Artemis II mission is set to launch in the week of March 31st, 2026, sending four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have traveled since the Apollo program ended over 50 years ago.
Alternet - Trump's proposed NASA funding cut in 2025 would have terminated more than 40 missions.
The New York Times - The Artemis II mission is set to propel astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in history.
Alternet - The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch in the week of March 31st, 2026.
Alternet - Trump proposed cutting NASA funding by 24 percent in 2025, which would have terminated more than 40 missions.
Alternet - Nearly 4,000 NASA employees are departing through federal workforce reductions.
WHERE:
The New York Times - The Artemis II mission will involve a journey around the moon.
WHEN:
The New York Times - Trump is due to leave office in January 2029.
The New York Times - Trump turned 80 years old in 2026.
The New York Times - Trump inquired about Mars missions shortly after Jared Isaacman became NASA administrator in January 2026.
Alternet - Trump dismissed the importance of space during a campaign stop in New Hampshire in 2015.
WHY:
Alternet - Trump aims for a sustained lunar presence and infrastructure rather than brief visits, stating: "We better be doing more than getting rocks this time."
The New York Times - Trump wants to top the achievements of Apollo 11 and aims for a moon base, a nuclear rocket, and a trip to Mars.
Alternet - Trump's enthusiasm for space exploration marks a dramatic reversal from his previous stance that space was not important.
HOW:
Alternet - Trump's public attention to the Artemis II launch has been notably limited, as he did not acknowledge the four astronauts during his February State of the Union address.
The New York Times - Trump communicated with Isaacman via phone to discuss future space missions and technologies.
Alternet - Trump emphasized the need for a sustained lunar presence and infrastructure rather than brief visits, stating: "We better be doing more than getting rocks this time."
(UPDATED March 31, 2026 17:23 UTC)
Jared Isaacman shared that he recently spoke with Trump about Mars missions and nuclear rockets, highlighting the former president's interest in space exploration. As the Artemis II mission prepares to launch this week, it will send four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have traveled since the Apollo program, despite Trump's proposed NASA funding cuts in 2025 that would have ended over 40 missions. While Trump has expressed a desire for a sustained lunar presence, his public attention to the Artemis II launch has been minimal, as he did not mention the astronauts during his February State of the Union address.
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(UPDATED March 31, 2026 15:23 UTC)
The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch in the week of on Tuesday, and aims to take astronauts farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in history, involving a journey around the moon. President Trump, who turned 80 this year, has expressed a renewed enthusiasm for space exploration, communicating with NASA administrator Jared Isaacman about future missions and emphasizing the need for a sustained lunar presence. This marks a significant shift from his previous dismissal of space's importance during a campaign stop in New Hampshire in 2015, as he now seeks to achieve ambitious goals like establishing a moon base and planning a trip to Mars.