Trump Congratulates Roman Telescope After Earlier Efforts to Cancel It

A NASA press conference about the successful launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope took an unexpected turn on Aug. 30, when President Donald Trump called in to congratulate the mission team, according to Space.com. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman was discussing the telescope’s launch and anticipated scientific work when he received the call. After briefly stepping out of the room, Isaacman returned and put the president on speaker, holding the phone near a microphone so journalists could hear. Trump praised those involved with the mission and said it had looked “beautiful on television.” He also claimed that his administration had taken NASA to new heights and said he was providing the agency with funding. The congratulatory call stood out because the Roman mission has previously faced proposed cuts from the Trump administration. Between 2019 and 2021, the president’s budget requests proposed canceling the project, which was then known as WFIRST. Congress rejected those proposals and continued funding the mission. The telescope faced another potential threat in 2025, when initial budget documents reportedly called for NASA’s science funding to be reduced by about half. Space.com reported that the cuts could have ended the Roman mission. Congress ultimately approved a $24.4 billion NASA budget for fiscal year 2026, keeping the agency’s funding relatively stable. After Trump’s call, SpaceNews reporter Jeff Foust asked Isaacman why the administration had changed its position on a mission it had previously sought to cancel. Isaacman did not directly answer the question. Instead, he expressed gratitude for the president’s support, space policy and resources, adding that the call might signal additional funding for future science and exploration missions. Trump spoke for more than a minute before the briefing continued. His remarks included a claim that Kennedy Space Center had once been effectively closed, with grass growing through cracks in its runways. Space.com noted that the center was closed for two days in 2016 because of Hurricane Matthew.