Former President Trump Congratulates Artemis II Crew After Lunar Flyby

Following the Artemis II mission's successful lunar flyby, the crew received a congratulatory call from former U.S. President Donald Trump. The call, which included a notable period of silence and a subsequent communications check, has drawn public attention.

The Call and Its Content

The call took place after the Artemis II spacecraft completed its flyby of the Moon. Former President Trump spoke with the crew, which includes Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

During the conversation, Trump stated he had spoken with former Canadian ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky, whom he referred to as "the Great One," and with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

He relayed to Hansen, “I spoke to a very special person, Wayne Gretzky, who I think you know, the Great One. And I spoke to your prime minister and many other friends I have in Canada. They are so proud of you.”

Trump added, “You have a lot of courage. I’m not sure if they’d want to do that. I’m not even sure if the Great One would want to do that, to be honest with you...”

Communications Check

After Trump's remarks, a period of silence lasting over a minute occurred. A communications check was then requested to confirm the connection was still active.

Communications were confirmed to be working, and Trump responded, “I am, yes, I am,” indicating he was still on the line.

A recording of the interaction has circulated online.

Artemis II Mission Status

The Artemis II crew is:

• Commander: Reid Wiseman
• Pilot: Victor Glover
• Mission Specialist: Christina Koch
• Mission Specialist: Jeremy Hansen

The crew is on its return journey to Earth. A splashdown is scheduled for Friday, April 10.