Trump Delivers Record-Setting State of the Union, Omits Artemis 2 Moon Mission

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. The speech, lasting over 107 minutes, became the longest State of the Union address on record.

Key Points of the Address

Despite the attendance of NASA's Artemis 2 astronaut crew, the address notably did not mention the upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission.

This mission is planned as America's first lunar flight with astronauts in over 50 years.

President Trump lauded the U.S. Space Force, a military branch established in December 2019 during his first term. He described it as a "great fighting force" and mentioned its role in "Operation Absolute Resolve," which involved the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Near the end of the speech, a general reference to space exploration was made: "Americans lifted humanity into the skies on the wings of aluminum and steel, and then we launched mankind into the stars on rockets powered by sheer American will and unyielding American pride."

Artemis 2 Context

The Artemis 2 mission, aiming to launch four astronauts around the moon, is currently scheduled for April 1. It will be the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission had previously faced multiple delays, including one announced just prior to the SOTU, pushing its liftoff from an initial March 6 target due to a glitch with the Space Launch System rocket.

The Artemis program, which seeks to establish lunar bases, was initiated in December 2017 during Trump's first term. The program's initial goal of landing astronauts on the moon by late 2024 was not met.

The Artemis 2 astronauts—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch (NASA), and Jeremy Hansen (Canadian Space Agency)—attended the SOTU as guests of House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Related Developments: Senator Kelly's Censure

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a former NASA astronaut, was also present during the address. The Trump administration recently censured Senator Kelly for his participation in a video that advised U.S. servicemembers against obeying illegal orders. Kelly has since filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth regarding this censure.