Trump gave an address to NASA on Monday in which he vowed to return American astronauts to the Moon, and eventually Mars.
“We will plant our flag and leave our footprint” on both celestial bodies, Trump said.
America has not visited the Moon since 1972.
More from Daily Caller:
President Donald Trump directed NASA Monday to head back to the Moon with the goal of eventually reaching Mars.
“It marks an important step in returning American astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 for long term exploration and use,” Trump said during a signing ceremony at the White House. “This time we will not only plant our flag, and leave our footprint. We will establish a foundation for an eventual mission to Mars and, perhaps, someday to many worlds beyond.”
Trump signed Space Policy Directive 1, which implements the desire of the National Space Council to return astronauts to the Moon and pursue human exploration of Mars.
Trump and Vice President Mike Pence also said there is a military application to further space exploration.
Pence said that the missions will “enhance our national security and our capacity to provide for the common defense.”
The vice president added that the exploration will ensure that the “rules and values of space exploration are written with American leadership and American values.”
With an anti-interventionist President like Trump at the helm, it bears noting that the whole budget for the Vietnam War could have paid for countless Moon missions and even a colony on the Moon.
Let’s not give Democrats the Cold War with Russia that they want. Let’s spend our money on giant leaps for Mankind!
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