Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to ever walk on the moon, has officially endorsed former President Donald Trump’s reelection bid.
Aldrin said in his endorsement that the United States is facing “difficult realities” at home and abroad. Because of this, he says the country needs a “proven, serious, tested leader for President.”
“Over the years, I have seen our government’s approach to space wax and wane, a fluctuating dynamic that has disappointed me from time to time,” Aldrin said in a statement released Wednesday. “But under the first Trump Administration, I was impressed to see how human space exploration was elevated, made a policy of high importance again.”
The Apollo 11 astronaut also praised Trump for helping create the US Space Force and for his support in advancing the privatization of the space sector.
He said the United States had a “revitalized interest in space” during Trump’s tenure as president.
“The Trump Administration also reinstituted the National Space Council, so leading voices could advocate for the importance of space to America,” Aldrin said. “Finally, under President Trump, the Nation’s defense was enhanced with the creation of the US Space Force — increasingly important as space becomes a contested domain.”
He also touched on Trump’s connection to SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk.
“At the same time, I have been enthused and excited by the great advancements in the private sector space economy, led by visionaries like Elon Musk,” Aldrin said. “These are concrete accomplishments that align with my concerns and America’s policy priorities.”
Aldrin has been supportive of Trump in the past, visiting the White House at his invitation in 2019 and speaking at the 2016 CPAC.
“Most citizens rightly consider it an honor to cast their vote for a leader they believe will best serve the Nation — our government by, for and of the people,” the astronaut concluded. “For me, for the future of our Nation, to meet enormous challenges, and for the proven policy accomplishments above, I believe the nation is best served by voting for Donald J. Trump.”