Buzz Aldrin endorses Trump reelection bid

Buzz Aldrin, the second man to ever walk on the Moon, endorsed former President’s Trump reelection bid on Wednesday. 

Aldrin said in his official endorsement that the U.S. is facing “difficult realities” domestically and globally, and the country needs a “proven, serious, tested leader for President.” The Apollo 11 astronaut praised the former president for helping create the U.S. Space Force and his support for advances made in the private space sector. 

“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."

He said the U.S. had a “revitalized interest in space” during Trump’s time in the Oval Office. 

“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 U.S. Space Force — increasingly important as space becomes a contested domain.” 

“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,” he continued. “These are concrete accomplishments that align with my concerns and America's policy priorities.”  

Trump invited astronauts in 2019 to the Oval Office for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Aldrin, who was at the meeting, also spoke at CPAC in 2016. 

“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 said. “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.” 

The Hill has reached out to Vice President Harris’s campaign for comment.