During an Oval Office meeting on Wednesday, President Donald Trump struggled to articulate whether the conflict he initiated against Iran in February would conclude before the ongoing war in Ukraine, even mixing up the two nations. The event, intended to honor the Artemis II lunar mission crew, quickly devolved into a wide-ranging media session.
After delivering brief remarks celebrating the NASA crew's historic journey—where they traveled farther into space than any humans before—Trump, 79, claimed he was fit enough to join them on a future mission. “Is a president allowed to go up in one of these missions?” he queried NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, before pivoting to questions from reporters.
His responses meandered from UFOs to a recent dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which he described as productive. “I talked about Ukraine, and I talked a little bit about Iran. I think we're going to come up with a solution relatively quickly,” Trump stated.
He suggested that Putin would be interested in addressing Iran’s enriched uranium issue, a point of contention for the U.S., while expressing a preference for Putin to focus on resolving the Ukraine conflict instead. “He doesn't want to see them have a nuclear weapon either,” Trump added, hinting at a potential ceasefire.
However, when pressed on which conflict might end first, Trump admitted uncertainty, labeling the question “interesting.” “Maybe they're on a similar timetable,” he remarked, before mistakenly reiterating that Tehran is “defeated,” further blurring the lines between the two situations.
In a separate vein, Trump addressed the criminal case against former FBI director James Comey, who had surrendered to authorities following an indictment for allegedly threatening Trump's life through an Instagram post featuring seashells that spelled out “86 47.” This phrase is often used in restaurants to indicate that a dish is no longer available, but Comey claimed it was meant to suggest Trump should be removed from office.
The Justice Department contends that Comey’s post constituted an imminent threat against the president. Legal experts have expressed skepticism about the viability of these charges, suggesting they may not meet the Supreme Court's threshold for such allegations.
When asked if he felt endangered by Comey’s actions, Trump connected the term “86” to organized crime, suggesting it implies a death sentence. “You know, you ever see the movies ... the mobster says to one of his wonderful associates, ‘86 him’ — that means, kill him,” he explained.
Trump also responded to King Charles III’s recent address to Congress, where the monarch defended NATO—a military alliance Trump has often criticized. When asked if Charles’ speech altered his perspective on NATO, Trump expressed disappointment that NATO allies did not support the U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran.
Despite this, he praised King Charles as “fantastic” and reflected positively on their time together. “He loves his country, and he's a great king,” Trump said, adding that he appreciated Charles’ remarks and toast at a recent White House state dinner.
The president’s appearance was primarily meant to honor the Artemis II crew, who completed a lunar flyby earlier this month—the first human trip there in over five decades. “I don’t know how they do it. I wouldn’t want to do it—they have unbelievable courage,” he remarked as the astronauts stood behind him.
Christina Koch and Victor Glover made history as the first woman and first Black man to reach the moon during their mission, which launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on April 1 and returned on April 10. Their journey included scientific experiments and observations of previously unseen lunar areas.
The astronauts are now assisting NASA in analyzing data from their trip and testing next-generation technology. The agency aims to launch Artemis III next year, which will involve docking tests with spacecraft necessary for lunar landings. Following this mission, NASA plans to establish a permanent base on the moon and eventually shift its focus toward Mars exploration.
Trump expressed optimism about NASA's goals, stating they have a “good shot” at achieving their ambitious timeline for lunar exploration and beyond.
