Trump wants a lunar feature named after him after Artemis II crew honors Reid Wiseman's late wife
HOUSTON, TEXAS: President Donald Trump, after hearing that the Artemis II crew had proposed to name a lunar crater “Carroll” to honor mission commander Reid Wiseman’s late wife, said he wished someone would name a lunar feature after him someday. The tribute clearly touched Wiseman; Trump noticed how emotional he was when they talked about it.
The crew picked the name in April 2026. During the lunar flyby, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen called in to mission control and suggested they name the crater after Carroll Taylor Wiseman, who died of cancer in 2020.
Trump says he wishes to have a lunar feature named after him
During his speech at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, Trump reflected on the moment as a touching gesture, saying the tribute meant she would "never be forgotten," before adding that he wished something similar could someday be named after him, joking that he would likely need approval from a governor to make that happen.
Trump: The crew named a lunar crater in loving memory of Reid's wife who we lost to cancer. I wish they'd name something like that after me. I like that pic.twitter.com/kINmXNLzhP
— FactPost (@factpostnews) August 28, 2026
Trump tossed out his comment as more of a side remark than a real request, and there’s no sign that anyone started the official process to name a lunar or astronomical feature after him.
Recounting the story, the president said the crew "named a previously unnamed lunar crater in loving memory of Reid's wonderful wife, who we lost to cancer," adding that it was "making Reid a little weepy right now because I heard she was an incredible woman."
Trump called the tribute "beautiful," saying "she'll never be forgotten" and "we honor her." He then added, "I wish they'd name something like that after me, Reid, but I don't know. I'll have to get the governor's approval."
This is the heart-touching moment where the ARTEMIS II crew proposed to name a newly observed crater Carroll, a way to honour Carrol Wiseman, late wife of astronaut Reid Wiseman that died in 2020 following a long and hard fight against cancer. I can’t stop thinking about it… pic.twitter.com/gtKGE7VIMk
— fra (@frapepppemaria) April 7, 2026
Naming details and official status
The Artemis II crew suggested naming a nearby lunar feature “Integrity” after their Orion spacecraft. These names aren’t official yet; the team still needs to send them to the International Astronomical Union, which handles official names in astronomy.
Wiseman has talked openly about where the name “Carroll” came from and why it meant so much, both during the mission and in later interviews.
The International Astronomical Union doesn’t name lunar features after sitting or former US presidents. Instead, its rules focus on honoring deceased scientists, explorers, and other notable individuals, not political leaders.
The Artemis II mission's provisional names, including "Carroll" and "Integrity," are expected to go through the standard review process before any formal designation is finalized.
