KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – President Donald Trump on Friday outlined an ambitious vision for expanding America’s role in aerospace and space exploration, promising to transform the Kennedy Space Center’s former shuttle landing facility into a major international venue for aviation and space demonstrations.
Speaking at the Up Summit in Central Florida, Trump said the planned 1,900-acre development would attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, generate billions of dollars in economic activity and host major commercial and private-sector aerospace deals.
What is the Up Summit?
Local perspective:
According to its website, the Up Summit was founded in 2017 and is touted as an invitation-only event that brings together “the world’s most innovative minds rethinking the future of transportation.”
“These are the leaders of the most impactful companies moving people and goods with a common goal of Transforming the Moving World,” the website reads.
A new vision for American aerospace
Big picture view:
Trump said the goal was to create an event larger than the Paris Air Show, which he described as the benchmark for international aerospace exhibitions.
“We’re going to do a bigger and better, grander version than the Paris Air Show,” Trump said, predicting the United States would host the world’s largest air show within two years.
The president was joined by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, astronauts from the Artemis program and government officials. He praised Isaacman, calling him an outstanding NASA administrator, and thanked aerospace industry leaders for attending.
Trump said the United States must maintain its leadership in aviation, advanced technology and space exploration, arguing that previous administrations had allowed the country’s ambitions to decline.
He cited the nation’s achievements in aviation and spaceflight, including the Wright brothers’ first flight, the Apollo moon landings and the space shuttle program.
Trump said his administration was working to restore American leadership through investments in space exploration, supersonic aviation, drones and artificial intelligence.
Plans for the moon and Mars
The president reiterated his goal of returning American astronauts to the moon before the end of his term and establishing a permanent presence there. He said the United States would eventually send astronauts to Mars.
Trump highlighted the Artemis program, which he said would help advance those objectives. He also announced plans for NASA to launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars within the next two years.
The president praised the Artemis astronauts, including Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen, who were in attendance. He also recognized astronauts Randy Bresnik and Frank Rubio.
Trump said the administration was committed to expanding the nation’s space capabilities, including through the Space Force and a proposed U.S. Space Academy.
Supersonic flight and emerging technology
On aviation, Trump pointed to an executive order he said would end restrictions on supersonic flight over the continental United States. He argued that advances in engineering could eventually make supersonic passenger travel possible without disruptive sonic booms.
He also said his administration was seeking to strengthen the domestic drone industry and expand the use of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and autonomous flight technology.
Trump described competition with China in artificial intelligence and advanced computing as a major national priority, saying the United States was currently ahead but needed to maintain its advantage.
He also cited American technological achievements, including the development of the telephone, airplane, microchip, personal computer, internet and GPS, as evidence of the country’s history of innovation.
Trump touts economic performance
The president used the speech to promote his administration’s economic record, claiming the United States had added 165,000 jobs in October, including 19,000 manufacturing jobs. He described the figures as exceeding expectations.
Trump also claimed that personal incomes had reached record levels, poverty was at a historic low and more Americans were employed than at any previous point in the nation’s history. Those assertions were not independently substantiated during the speech.
He blamed the recent decline in financial markets on the midterm elections, claiming the country had lost $3 trillion in value. He said Republicans had performed well in Florida but acknowledged Democratic gains elsewhere in the country.
White House leadership change
Earlier in the day, before the president’s appearance, there was a major announcement about changes in White House leadership. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was leaving her position, according to the president, who said Stephen Miller would take over the role on Monday.
Trump said Wiles had resigned. He did not provide a detailed explanation for the change, saying only that he wanted to make it.
The president briefly addressed Tuesday’s midterm election results, in which Democrats flipped both houses of Congress. “I was not on the ballot just in case you had any question,” Trump said. “Because if we were on the ballot, we would have won.”
The appearance marked Trump’s second visit to Central Florida in a week. He had traveled to the region the previous Friday to campaign for Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections.
Trump closed his remarks by saying the United States was entering a new period of technological achievement and that the country’s greatest accomplishments remained ahead.
“After 250 years of American freedom, the best is yet to come,” he said.
The Source: This story uses information from remarks made by President Donald Trump at Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 6, 2026, NASA’s MAX Power website, the Up Summit website, other media reports, and previous FOX Local reporting.