White House: Space is One Area Where Biden and Trump Agree

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki confirmed today what many in the space community have come to realize over the past two months — the space program is one area where President Biden and former President Trump actually share common ground.

At today’s White House press conference, Psaki was asked if space policy is one of the areas where Biden and Trump agree.  She replied “that sounds accurate to me.”

Once again it was Fox News reporter Kristin Fisher, daughter of astronauts Bill and Anna Fisher, who asked the question.

Fisher:  You know, the Biden administration, they just announced its intention to retain the National Space Council, and this is on top of the White House voicing its support for the Space Force and NASA’s Artemis program.  I mean, these are three programs or policies that President Trump and the Trump administration put in place.  So would it be fair to say that space … and space policy is one of the few areas where President Biden actually agrees with his predecessor?

Psaki:  I think that — that sounds accurate to me. Look, I think the President believes that the National Space Council … provides an opportunity to generate National Space Policy strategies, synchronize on America’s space activities at a time of unprecedented activity.  It’s also an opportunity to generate by America’s own activities in space.  So it’s certainly a program — or a council, I should say — he’s excited to keep in place and one, I think it’s fair to say, he agrees with the past administration’s maintaining the program.

Psaki’s comments about the Space Council generating policies and synchronizing space activities are from a statement issued by the National Security Council yesterday, from which she appeared to be reading.  So she was prepared for the question this time, unlike two instances in February where she was asked about the Space Force and Artemis and clearly was not familiar with either. She did provide answers the next day in both cases and said Biden supports them.

Fisher was the reporter asking those questions, too.

It is often said that space is a bipartisan issue and that is largely true, but the key is where it falls in budget priorities.  For Biden, that should become clearer later this week when his FY2022 budget request for NASA and DOD reportedly will be released.