WARMINGTON: Canadian Jeremy Hansen doing out of this world diplomacy with Donald Trump

The Canadian Space Agency astronaut who went to the moon does Canada proud by showing Maple Leaf in space and in Oval Office

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Published Apr 30, 2026  •  Last updated 1 hour ago  •  3 minute read

The Artemis II astronauts -- including Canadian Col. Jeremy Hansen with the Canadian flag patch on his shoulder -- visited President Donald J. Trump at the White House Wednesday -- photo by White House X

Mr. Hansen did not only go to Washington but to the moon too!

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Don’t look now but there wasn’t just a Canadian inside the Oval Office to be honoured with his space peers but Canada’s flag was in there too.

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“American heroes” was the headline put out on X showing four astronauts behind President Donald J. Trump.

No question there were three American heroes in that image. But there was a Canadian hero in that picture too. And, whether it was mentioned by the White House account or not, there was a Canadian flag and the Canadian Space Agency logo on full display too.

Yes, the Canadian flag was up by the moon and now in the West Wing! Even for the most jaded Canuck, it was neat to see the Maple Leaf up on the spaceship further out in space than any humans had ever been and again on display behind the Resolute Desk in the most powerful space down here on Earth.

Thanks to a legendary Canadian spaceman, Canada sure has travelled to some high and potentially treacherous places. He was the first Canadian to travel up to the moon and, on Wednesday, Col. Jeremy Hansen also represented his country by standing in the Oval Office of the White House with President Donald J. Trump.

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event with the Artemis II astronauts, commander Reid Wiseman and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen of CSA (Canadian Space Agency), in the Oval Office of the White House on April 29, 2026 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Andrew Harnik /Getty Images

Both had potential for turbulence. However, there was nothing but smiles from mission specialist Hansen and his Artemis II crew of NASA astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch.

Praise from the president

“They’re very brave,” Trump told reporters, adding, “That was a lot of rocket under them. I never saw anything like that.”

Artemis II was an historic mission that not only took humans up to the moon for the first time in more than half a century, but  also made history by having a Canadian on board.

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Seeing that Canadian flag patch on the shoulder of 50-year-old Hansen’s uniform inside the White House took on its own narrative in that Canada and Trump’s America don’t have the relationship that the two countries once did.

However, Hansen, who grew up near London, Ont., seems to be a bridge to help bring the countries back together again – if not in finding a way to make a new trade agreement perhaps in science. Trump seems to like Hansen, who really is so likeable and so Canadian.

In fact, when the astronauts talked to the president while they were in space they had a very nice exchange. The normally all-America-all-the-time Trump was warm and gracious.

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“Well, I have to say I spoke to a very special person, Wayne Gretzky, who I think you know – The Great One,” Trump told Hansen in space, adding, “I spoke to your prime minister and many other friends I have in Canada,” and “they are so proud of you and that you have a lot of courage. I’m not sure if they’d want to do that. I’m not even sure if the Great One would want to do that to be honest with you.

“But you have a lot of courage doing what you’re doing — a lot of bravery and a lot of a lot of genius but they’re very proud of you.”

Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, of Canada, connects live from the Orion spacecraft and speaks with Canadian media along with astronauts Victor Glover, left, and Reid Wiseman on Saturday, April 4, 2026. Photo by Handout /Canadian Space Agency via AP

Hansen replied to Trump: “While I have the microphone, sir. I just want to thank you on behalf of Canada, that space leadership you spoke of from America is truly extraordinary. I’ve said this many times before, a nation that leads like that, and creates goals for humanity that brings other countries along with it, is truly incredible.”

It was classy and appropriate.

This is closer to what many Canadians want to see in the relationship between these two great countries who have done so much together to ensure freedom around the world and peace. Like when the fans from western New York and many from Ontario too helped the Buffalo Sabres anthem singer get through a malfunctioning microphone during O Canada, the kinship should always be friendly like this.

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This was also a big day for the Canadian Space Agency, which once again has added more history to its already impressive resume.

And Hansen has done Canada proud by conducting himself in the Canadian way. It seems to bring the best out of Trump, who drops the 51st state narrative when he’s around.

Whether it’s on resources, security, manufacturing, business or science, Canada and the United States are better when they are travelling along together.

If it means taking diplomacy to the moon and back, hopefully we will see more of this.

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