On the 35th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, President Trump issued a statement tonight promising America will lead the way in space discovery and exploration. His statement comes amid deep concern in the space community about the future of space science at NASA following a proposal from Trump’s Office of Management and Budget to cut space science by about 50 percent in FY2026.

The White House transmitted this statement at about 10:30 pm ET.

Today, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope, an awe-inspiring testament to America’s longstanding ingenuity, leadership, and innovation.

Since its launch in 1990, Hubble has opened up the heavens—uncovering the mysteries of our universe, shattering the boundaries of scientific knowledge and advancement, and expanding humanity’s understanding of the unknown in ways once believed to be impossible.  From its discovery of supermassive black holes to helping pinpoint the age of the universe, the Hubble Telescope has exceeded more than 1.5 million observations—cementing its role not merely as a telescope but also as a symbol of America’s unmatched exploratory might.

With Hubble as a blueprint, my Administration is committed to ensuring that America continues to lead the way in fueling the pursuit of space discovery and exploration.  In my first term, I proudly reestablished the National Space Council—relaunching space policy as a top national priority.  Under my leadership, the Federal Government also remains steadfastly committed to collaborating with private industries to ensure America remains on the cutting edge of space exploration.  When we lead, the world follows, and I am confident that no challenge is beyond our reach—including the planting of the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.

As we celebrate Hubble’s 35th anniversary, we honor the brilliant scientists, engineers, and visionaries who made such a daring feat possible.  Their courage and innovation inspire us all to take risks, dream big, and forge new paths into the unknown.  With this spirit in mind, we will secure the future of space exploration for our Nation, pursuing our manifest destiny into the farthest depths of the cosmos.

The iconic NASA-ESA Hubble Space Telescope was launched on this day in 1990.  After space shuttle astronauts made their first visit to the telescope in December 1993 to repair its flawed mirror, the telescope won its way into the hearts of many Americans with its breathtaking images of the cosmos that continue today. Four more shuttle visits replaced key components and instruments that refreshed its capabilities and keeps it going strong three and a half decades later.

The James Webb Space Telescope launched in 2021 is sending back its own amazing images, but Hubble hasn’t lost its allure for scientists and citizens alike.

Hubble and Webb are part of NASA’s “great observatories” series.  Next is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is on track for launch in 2027.  However, OMB’s FY2026 budget “passback” to NASA calls for Roman to be cancelled as part of a drastic cutback to astrophysics, which in turn is part of a roughly 50 percent cut to NASA’s science program overall. The space science community is warning that this would spell a “dark age” for U.S. space science and be “catastrophic to our nation’s leadership in the space sciences.”

Trump’s message is the opposite, raising hope that the OMB proposal is not the final word.

Several Democratic members of Congress rallied in favor of NASA’s space science program and yesterday three influential Republicans who are long-time NASA supporters joined them.  Writing in Real Clear Science, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA), former chairman of the House Science Committee Bob Walker (R-PA), and former NASA senior adviser for commercial space Charles Miller said “NASA Needs Rational Reforms, Not Reckless Cuts.” Miller headed the NASA landing team for the Trump-Vance transition. They argue that changes definitely are needed, but NASA Administrator-nominee Jared Isaacman is the right person to do it. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will vote on Isaacman’s nomination next week.

“We are strong advocates for human spaceflight, but world class science at NASA is also critically important to humanity’s future in space. Both sides of NASA should be transformed, not mindlessly cut.”–  Newt Gingrich, Bob Walker and Charles Miller

The extent to which they influenced Trump’s viewpoint may never be known publicly, but his statement is a bright spot is an otherwise grim picture of U.S. science in his second term with deep personnel and proposed budget cuts at the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration among others already, with more expected. NASA has been largely spared with only 23 employees involuntarily terminated so far, but they included the Chief Scientist, Chief Technologist, and Chief Economist.

Just today the head of the National Science Foundation resigned saying he’d done all he could and the Administration revealed it is canceling the lease on the building that houses NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Science (GISS) in New York effective May 31. GISS is renowned for its work on climate science and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Director Makenzie Lystrup reassured her workforce that they are looking for another location and “while the lease is ending, the Institute’s mission continues.”

NASA Terminating The GISS lease effective 31 May 2025

This was just sent to all @NASAgoddard employees:

Dear Colleagues: As you likely know, the administration is currently examining all government leases. As a result, NASA’s lease of Columbia University’s Armstrong Hall in… pic.twitter.com/Y2mZoBf0cn

— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) April 24, 2025

Trump’s plans for NASA and space science will become more clear when the Administration submits its FY2026 budget request to Congress.  Budget requests are supposed to be sent on the first Monday in February, though that date is rarely met, especially in a new President’s first year.