The Vice President: To members of the cabinet
distinguished members of Congress who join us
leaders in business and industry, honored guests and
especially three American astronats.
Who have joined us today.
Lieutenant colonel David Wolf,
Colonel Alvin Drew and the second man on the moon, the
legendary Colonel Buzz Aldrin.
Welcome to the White House. It's my great privledge on behalf of
the first family to welcome you all here today and thanks to the
vision of President Donld Trump.
Welcoem to the new era of American leadership in space.
You know its the greatest privledge of my life to serve as
Vice President to a President who gets up everyday to
keep promises that he made to the American people.
In his his inagural address President Trump recommitted
our nation to in his words:
Unlock the mysteries of space once again. And today President
Donald Trump will take one mroe step to esnure the America
leads again in the final frontier.
With the action he takes today, President Trump will bring a
renewed sense of purpose to Americas space policy
that will benefit litterally every facet of our national life
Just like its done in the past and im honored and frankly
enthusiastic about the role that the President has asked me to
play in renewing our Nations Commitment to space.
By the Presidents actions we will strengthen our economy, we
will unlock new opportunies new technologies and new
sources of prosperity.
It will inspire our children to seek eduction in science
technology, engineering and math.
It will enhance our common defense and advance the security
of the American people.
But most of all, under President Donald Trump American
leadership in space will strengthen the American spirit.
Today, President Trump recommits,and so says the nation
to do what Americans have always done, to lead,
to push the boundries of human knowledge, to blaze new trails
into the unkown and astonish the world with the courage and
leadership of the United States.
So with gratitude for his inpsiring vision.
With admiration for his decsisve action to renew American
leadership here on Earth and in the boundless expanse of space,
it is now my high honor and
distinct privledge to introduce to all of you, the President
of The United States of America. President Donal Trump.
Th President: Thank you, very much.
You don't mind if I do that?
Get rid of it.
(Laughter.)
Thank you very much to our great Vice President and
also for the fantastic job that Mike has been doing.
The future of American space leadership -- we're
going to lead again.
It's been a long time.
It's over 25 years, and we're opening up, and we
are going to be leading again like
we've never led before.
We're a nation of pioneers, and the next
great American frontier is space.
And we never completed -- we started,
but we never completed.
We stopped.
But now we start again.
And we have tremendous spirit, and we're going to
have tremendous spirit from the private sector --
maybe in particular from the private sector.
I'd like to extend a special welcome to an
American hero who've I've known actually for a long
time, Buzz Aldrin, who is with us today.
(Applause.)
Known him a long time.
Thank you also to Astronauts Benjamin Drew
and David Wolf and former NASA Flight Director Gene
Kranz for being with us and for working with us on
exactly what we're doing today.
Thank you all very much.
We appreciate it.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
(Applause.)
We're also joined by our great Secretary of
Commerce, Wilbur Ross, who spent the morning
negotiating trade deals with South Korea.
And as you know, that trade deal is coming due,
and it actually came due a couple of weeks ago.
And I think we're going to make a good deal, right?
Secretry Ross: We've made some progress.
The President: I think so.
That's what the word is.
And good for both countries.
Also distinguished members of Congress are with us,
and leaders of several of America's great
aerospace companies.
Today, we're taking a crucial step to secure
America's future in space by reviving the National
Space Council after it was -- has been dormant almost
25 years if you can believe it.
During the campaign, Vice President Pence promised
that our administration -- because Mike is very much
into space -- would revive the National Space
Council, and with this executive order, we're
keeping that promise.
Feel very strongly about it.
I've felt strongly about it for a long time.
I used to say before doing what I did -- I used to
say, what happened?
Why aren't we moving forward?
Today's announcement sends a clear signal to the
world that we are restoring America's proud
legacy of leadership in space.
Our Vice President cares very deeply about space
policy, and for good reason -- space
exploration is not only essential to our character
as a nation, but also our economy and our great
nation's security.
Our travels beyond the Earth propel scientific
discoveries that improve our lives in countless
ways here, right here, at home: powering vast new
industry, spurring incredible new technology,
and providing the space security we need to
protect the American people.
And security is going to be a very big factor with
respect to space and space exploration.
At some point in the future, we're going to
look back and say how did we do it without space?
The Vice President will serve as the council's chair.
Several representatives of my administration will
join him including the Secretaries of State,
Defense, Commerce, Transportation, and
Homeland Security; the Chairman of the great --
I'll tell you, he's doing a fantastic job, always
working, always fighting, and winning -- winning big
against ISIS, that I can tell you, seeing what's
happening there -- the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, the National Security Advisor,
NASA, and the Director of National Intelligence.
The council will also draw the expertise of other
White House offices as well as insights from
scientists, innovators, and business leaders from
across the country.
Many business leaders that want to be a big part of this.
I think the privatization of certain aspects is
going to play a very crucial role,
don't you think?
They are truly into it.
This coordination will be accomplished through an
advisory group that is being convened by today's
executive order, which I'll be signing in a minute.
The National Space Council will be a central hub
guiding space policy within the administration.
And I will draw on it for advice and information and
recommendations for action.
And the Vice President, myself, and a few others
are going to pick some private people to
be on the board.
I will say that's not easy because everybody wants to
be on this board.
People that you wouldn't have believed loved what
we're doing so much they want to -- some of the
most successful people in the world want to
be on this board.
The human soul yearns for discovery.
By unlocking the mysteries of the universe, we unlock
truths within ourselves.
That's true.
Our journey into space will not only make us
stronger and more prosperous, but will unite
us behind grand ambitions and bring us
all closer together.
Wouldn't that be nice?
Can you believe that space is going to do that?
I thought politics would do that.
(Laughter.)
Well, we'll have to rely on space instead.
Every launch into the skies is another step
forward toward a future where our differences seem
small against the vast expanse of
our common humanity.
Sometimes you have to view things from a distance in
order to see the real truth.
It is America's destiny to be at the forefront of
humanity's eternal quest for knowledge and to be
the leader amongst nations on our adventure
into the great unknown.
And I could say the great and very
beautiful unknown.
Nothing more beautiful.
With the actions we are launching today, America
will think big once again.
Important words: Think big.
We haven't been thinking so big for a long time,
but we're thinking big again as a county.
We will inspire millions of children to carry on
this proud tradition of American space leadership
-- and they're excited -- and to never stop
wondering, hoping, and dreaming about what lies
beyond the stars.
So, I just want to tell you that we are now going
to sign an executive order, and this is going
to launch a whole new chapter for our great country.
And people are very excited about it and I can
tell you, I'm very excited about it.
Thank you all very much.
(Applause.)
Colonel Aldrin: Infinity and beyond.
(Laughter.)
The President: This is infinity here.
It could be infinity.
We don't really don't know.
But it could be.
It has to be something -- but it could be infinity, right?
Okay.
(Applause.)