Trump Announces Formation of U.S. Space Academy
President Donald Trump has achieved another historic first as he works to reshape the U.S. military and shore up American national security and ingenuity for decades to come.
Trump signed an executive order Friday creating the U.S. Space Academy, a new initiative aimed at educating and training the next generation of engineers, operators and military personnel for careers in the space sector.
The academy is intended to strengthen the country’s pipeline of technical and national security talent as the United States expands its focus on space exploration, defense and related technologies.
“That’s a big deal. So, you think of West Point, and you think of Annapolis, and you think of the Air Force Academy, and you think of the Coast Guard Academy — great — they’re all great, but we’re going to have now a space force,” Trump said during his speech at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“We’re going to have an academy for what the people in this room love the most,” he added.
During the event, Trump also awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of Artemis II, recognizing their contributions to the nation’s space program.
The president’s executive order begins the process of establishing the U.S. Space Academy and creates a commission to oversee its development.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will chair the commission as the administration works to define the academy’s structure, curriculum and long-term mission.
The commission will submit a report to the president within 120 days containing key detail proposals for the establishment of the institution, according to the order, The Hill reported.
The White House noted in Trump’s directive that the Space Academy will be dedicated to “rigorous technical education with leadership development, discipline and a durable commitment to public service” to develop a “professional corps of civically grounded leaders prepared to advance American interests within the space domain.”
During his remarks Friday, Trump said he expects to announce the location of the new academy “very shortly.”
The president also noted that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has been lobbying for the academy to be established in Texas.
Space policy has been a major focus for Trump across both of his administrations.
In 2019, he signed legislation creating the U.S. Space Force as a separate branch of the armed forces, marking one of the most significant changes to the military’s structure in decades, The Hill noted further.
Trump made presidential history Friday during his visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center that combined recognition for America’s astronauts with a major announcement about the future of the U.S. military in space.
The president also shared a lighthearted admission about whether he would ever personally consider making the journey beyond Earth.
Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to speak directly with astronauts aboard the International Space Station from NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston.
But another moment from the visit placed Trump in the history books for an entirely different reason.
The president opened the conversation with a joke about the fascination many Americans have with the possibility of traveling into space.
“I wouldn’t do it,” Trump admitted.
“I hate to admit it. I would not want to do it. But some people love it more than anything,” he added.
The astronauts told Trump they were “thrilled” to have the opportunity to speak with him while describing some of the work they were conducting aboard the orbiting laboratory.
They explained that they were “in the middle of several spacewalks” and had another spacewalk scheduled for this week.
Trump praised the astronauts for their work and described the crew members as “pioneers” helping advance American space exploration.
The president also invited other officials accompanying him at Johnson Space Center to participate in the conversation with the astronauts.
“We’re going to see you when you get back,” Trump said.
💥 PRESS DEBUT DISASTER!
Katie Zacharia’s Awkward First White House Press Briefing Draws National Attention
Katie Zacharia’s first appearance behind the White House podium quickly became a major talking point after several uncomfortable moments overshadowed her debut as President Donald Trump’s new press secretary.
The October 13 briefing lasted approximately 14 minutes, with Zacharia answering questions from only three news outlets before ending the session. Her short appearance immediately attracted widespread media attention.
Zacharia had recently been selected to replace former press secretary Karoline Leavitt, stepping into a highly visible role responsible for communicating the administration’s positions to journalists and the American public.
From the opening minutes, observers noticed her reliance on prepared notes. She delivered a lengthy account of Trump’s accomplishments, frequently looking down at the script instead of maintaining eye contact with reporters.
Her delivery also attracted criticism, with commentators describing her voice as hesitant and her presentation as unusually stiff. Others questioned whether the administration had given its newest spokesperson enough preparation time.
Much of the briefing focused on praising Trump’s economic agenda, energy policies, rally attendance, and political achievements. The extended list of talking points left relatively little time for substantive exchanges with journalists.
One particularly awkward moment occurred when Zacharia discussed the challenge of balancing her demanding position with family life. She explained that spending evenings away from her four children was unacceptable to her.
She then accidentally referred to her husband as “my president” before immediately correcting herself with “my husband.” Recognizing the slip, she added a brief joke, creating the briefing’s most widely discussed moment.
The verbal mix-up spread rapidly through news coverage and social media, becoming a defining image of her first appearance. Critics treated it as evidence of nervousness, while others viewed it as an ordinary human mistake.
Her response to a question about U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine also drew attention. When asked whether Washington had stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv, Zacharia replied that she would have to get back to the reporter.
The exchange was brief, but it highlighted the difficulty of responding to sensitive foreign policy questions without immediately having the necessary information. Reporters continued seeking answers as the briefing moved forward.
Another significant announcement concerned Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece. Zacharia told reporters that the administration had asked Guilfoyle to resign, unexpectedly introducing a personnel development into the short briefing.
The announcement generated additional headlines and demonstrated that, despite the awkward delivery, Zacharia’s first appearance included consequential political news. Her handling of the announcement, however, also attracted scrutiny from commentators.
Questions about her readiness soon emerged among political observers and some administration allies. The Wall Street Journal described the debut as rocky, reporting that her nervous presentation prompted questions about the decision to put her before cameras so quickly.
The brief question-and-answer session was another unusual feature. After taking questions from Breitbart News, Fox News, and the Daily Mail, Zacharia announced that reporters could ask Trump questions directly as he prepared to leave.
Her decision to end the briefing after such limited questioning became another focus of criticism. Regular White House briefings often involve extended exchanges, making the short session particularly noticeable to journalists and political commentators.
Despite the criticism, Trump publicly defended his new press secretary. Asked about her performance, the president said he thought she had done very well, offering a clear show of support following the difficult debut.
The White House also presented the briefing positively, describing Zacharia’s performance as commanding. That assessment contrasted with critical media coverage, illustrating how differently supporters and detractors interpreted the same appearance.
Zacharia’s debut has therefore become an early test of her ability to manage a demanding communications role. Future briefings will offer a clearer indication of whether she can develop greater confidence and handle sustained questioning.
For now, the accidental “my president” remark remains the most memorable moment from her first appearance. Whether the incident becomes a brief viral embarrassment or a lasting political talking point will depend on what follows.
