Trump Speaks with ISS Crew and Honors Artemis II Astronauts

<p>President Donald Trump spoke with American astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston on Friday, where he also honored the Artemis II crew. During the call, Trump remarked that many Americans would love to travel to space but admitted, "I wouldn't do it. I hate to admit it. I would not want to do it. But some people love it more than anything." </p><p>The astronauts expressed their excitement about speaking with Trump and mentioned they were in the middle of several spacewalks, with another planned for the following week. Trump referred to the crew as "pioneers" for their contributions to space exploration.</p><p>He invited other officials to speak with the ISS crew and offered to welcome the astronauts to the White House upon their return, stating, "We're going to see you when you get back. In fact, if you want Oval Office time, right?" </p><p>Earlier in the day, Trump honored the Artemis II crew with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and signed an executive order to establish the U.S. Space Force Academy, which he compared to other U.S. military academies, saying, "It will be at that same level when you serve West Point, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, Annapolis. It's going to be at that level." </p>