Remarks by President Trump in Teleconference with Participants of the First All-Women Spacewalk on the International Space Station | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

White House Roosevelt Room  •  Washington D.C.  •  October 18  •  12:28 P.M. EDT

    THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Okay. Thank you very much. I think we're getting ready to do something very exciting. Jim, do you want to take over?

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: Sure. So this is a -

    OPERATOR: Christina and Jessica, please stand by for a call from the President of the United States.

    THE PRESIDENT: Where's my camera?

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: (Laughs.) I guess it's over to you at this point.

    Sir -

    THE PRESIDENT: Where's - where's my camera? You tell me. (Laughter.) There are a lot of cameras.

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: It is. It's an exciting day.

    THE PRESIDENT: It is.

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: The first all-women spacewalk underway right now. They're doing very important work. Just so everybody knows, we're - this is a short window for the downlink, and also they've got very busy work to do. They're on the outside of the station. But what a big day. We're thrilled to be here, Mr. President. It's over to you for communicating with them.

    THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm thrilled also. And if they're ready, I'm ready.

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: Okay.

    MS. TRUMP: Can we confirm that the link is live?

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: Sir, the link is live.

    AIDE: The link is live.

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    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: The link is live. They're listening. They are on the outside of the Space Station.

    THE PRESIDENT: Station, this is President Donald Trump. Do you hear me?

    MS. KOCH: We can hear you.

    THE PRESIDENT: That's great. (Laughter.) (Applause.)

    MS. TRUMP: Yes!

    THE PRESIDENT: That's great. I was starting to get worried about you. (Applause.) I was starting to get worried about you. (Laughter.) You're in an interesting place.

    I thought we may have to be - a little emergency work. I don't think that will ever be necessary with you. The job that you do is incredible.

    And I'm here with Vice President Mike Pence, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, and my daughter, Ivanka. We're thrilled to be speaking live with two brave American astronauts who are making history.

    Joining us during their spacewalk outside the International Space Station - and this is the first time for a woman outside of the Space Station - are Flight Engineers Christina Koch and Flight Engineer Jessica Meir.

    And I just want to congratulate you. What you do is incredible. It's so - you're very brave people. I don't think I want to do it, I must tell you that. But you are amazing people.

    They're conducting the first-ever female spacewalk to replace an exterior part of the Space Station. They're doing some work, and they're doing it in a very high altitude - an altitude that very few people will ever see.

    Congratulations, Christina and Jessica, on this historic event. This is truly historic. And you're right now on television all over the world, so don't get nervous. (Laughter.)

    I'd like to ask you a question: What would you like to tell everyone listening and watching today, especially young women -

    DR. MEIR: (Inaudible.)

    THE PRESIDENT: - who are interested in space?

    ADMINISTRATOR BRIDENSTINE: There's about a four- or five-second delay.

    THE PRESIDENT: Ah, okay.

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    DR. MEIR: Hello. Thank you. First - first of all, we don't want to take too much credit, because there have been many other female spacewalkers before us. This is just the first time that there have been two women outside at the same time.

    And it's really interesting for us. We've talked a lot about it up here. You know, for us, this is really just us doing our job. It's something we've been training for, for six years, and preparing for. And so, it didn't really, you know - for us, it's just coming out here and doing our job today. And we were the - we were the crew that was tasked with this assignment.

    At the same time, we recognize that it is a historic achievement, and we do, of course, want to give credit to all of those that came before us. There has been a long line of female scientists, explorers, engineers, and astronauts, and we have followed in their footsteps to get us where we are today.

    We hope that we can provide an inspiration to everybody, not only (inaudible), but to everybody that has a dream and has a big dream and that is willing to work hard to make that dream come true - something that all of us that have made our way up here have done all throughout our lives. And I can tell you, the hard work certainly did pay off.

    I've only been up here a few weeks, actually - about three weeks I've been in space - and this is my first flight and my very first spacewalk. So it is a pretty incredible feeling. I'm sure you can all imagine. And it's one that I will never forget.

    I'm extremely fortunate to be sharing this moment with Christina Koch, who's not only my colleague, but also a very, very close and dear friend.

    So it's really our honor to be out here working today and to be representing whatever it is that's significant to whatever - whatever individuals' desires and hearts.

    Thank you.

    THE PRESIDENT: Well, Christina and Jessica, I would like to, if I could, just thank you. Jessica, I know that you've been doing this and you've been working hard. And, Christina, I've studied your résumé. It's really incredible what you've done, what you've both done. Your lives have been incredible. And now you're in a place that, as I said, very few people will ever get that experience. You're doing an incredible job.

    This is a first step - because we're going to the Moon, and then we're going to Mars. We're launching from the Moon most likely. They seem to think that's the best way of doing it, Jim. So we're launching from the Moon.

    And I just want to congratulate you both. You're very brave, brilliant women, and you represent this country so well. And our country is very proud of you, and we are very proud of you. Millions and millions of people are watching you right now. But I will tell you: What you do is really something very special.

    So, first the Moon, and then we go to Mars. Thank you both very much. Have a good time.

    ...

    Read the full transcript HERE.


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