Donald Trump Confirms Plan to Attend First Manned American Rocket Launch in 9 Years

President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday at the White House he is planning to attend the SpaceX/NASA manned rocket launch in Florida next week.

“I’m thinking about going to the rocket launch,” Trump confirmed to reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Michigan. The White House has not confirmed any official schedule.

NASA veterans and former space shuttle astronauts Col. Doug Hurley and Col. Bob Behnken will travel aboard the SpaceX crew Dragon capsule aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The launch will take place next Friday and will be the first manned launch in the United States since the last space shuttle flight in 2011.

The president joked that he would like to launch some of the reporters out into space as well.

“I hope you’re all going to join me,” he said. “I’d like to put you in the rocket and get rid of you for a while.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hinted Wednesday that Trump would attend the launch with Vice President Mike Pence.

“I know, maybe you’re going to be there,” DeSantis said to Pence. “I know, I think the big guy is going to be there. So, I’ll certainly be there.”