Trump Vows To ‘Plant Stars And Stripes’ On Mars, Gets A Thumbs Up From Elon Musk | Watch – News18

Last Updated:January 21, 2025, 00:10 IST

US President Donald Trump vowed to send American astronauts to “plant the Stars and Stripes” on the planet Mars during his inaugural address at the Capitol

Trump Inauguration: US President Donald Trump vowed on Monday that the world’s biggest economy would again see itself as “a growing nation” that expands its territory, adding that the country would plant its flag on Mars.

Soon after the announcement, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk threw his hands up in the air and was spotted giving an enthusiastic thumbs up, grabbing everyone’s attention during Trump’s inaugural address at the US Capitol.

“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” Trump said in his inauguration speech at the US Capitol in Washington.

Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX is at the forefront of space exploration, has consistently emphasized the importance of making humanity a multi-planetary species.

The Trump-Musk duo in the 47th US Presidency is expected to influence the country’s space policy with major changes in NASA’s Artemis program, potentially boosting SpaceX, Musk’s private space company.

The Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars and is expected to pivot more directly towards the Red Planet under Trump’s leadership.

Trump also announced the issuance of several executive orders during his inaugural speech, aimed at swiftly reshaping the government and the policies implemented during Biden’s tenure.

Executive orders prepared for swift implementation include measures to clamp down on border crossings, expand fossil fuel production, and end diversity and inclusion programs across federal agencies.