Buzz Aldrin, 94, Sends a Bold Political Message With Presidential Endorsement
A week out from Election Day, Buzz Aldrin is officially making his pick for president known.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, the famed Apollo 11 astronaut issued a lengthy statement discussing his opinion on American politics and the choices voters have in the upcoming presidential election. In it, the 94-year-old admits that the decision made at the polls "may not be easy" for some, but that's not the case for him.
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"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," he shared. "I wholeheartedly endorse him for President of the United States. Godspeed President Trump, and God Bless the United States of America."
Elsewhere, he explained that his decision was influenced by Trump-era policies he was fond of, including the reestablishment of the National Space Council and the creation of the U.S. Space Force.
"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. 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 wrote. "Under President Trump's first term, America saw a revitalized interest in space. His Administration reignited national efforts to get back to the Moon, and push on to Mars – programs that continue today."
Aldrin went on, even shouting out private sector "visionary" Elon Musk, claiming the tech guru's accomplishments "enthuse" and "excite" him, as well as align with his "concerns and America's policy priorities."
Notably, Aldrin did not address the names on the Democratic ticket–current VP Kamala Harris and Minnesota governor Tim Walz–the work Harris has done as the chair of the National Space Council, which includes advancing security norms in space and setting the framework for future novel space missions, or the pair's policies on either issue, should they be elected.
His endorsement is of little surprise, though, as Aldrin has been active in Republican politics for quite some time and his relationship with Trump dates back at least five years, when the then-president invited Aldrin and other astronauts to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing at the Oval Office in 2019.
At the time, Aldrin said he was "a little disappointed" in the government's investment in space exploration and programs like it for "the last 10 or 15 years," per Politico.
But after convening with Trump and the top heads at NASA that day, he left with his mind changed as he tweeted: "Just had an excellent meeting with President Donald Trump! We discussed America’s future in space, ways to address space challenges, and the need to keep exploring beyond the horizon. Keep America Great in Space!!"
As Americans prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, several other celebrities have also spoken out in support of their preferred candidate, with Aldrin joining Dr. Phil, Dennis Quaid and Brittany Mahomes backing Trump and his vice presidential hopeful JD Vance.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Mariska Hargitay are just a few of the A-listers supporting Harris-Walz.