U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring the Solar System and all of outer space beyond Earth a “province of all people”. The document, published by the White House, is titled “American Declaration of Freedom in Space” and was signed on November 3 – the day of the midterm elections for Congress.
The proclamation defines space as an area open to “exploration, development, use and the establishment of a permanent presence by American citizens”. The text states that this must be done in accordance with U.S. law and the country’s international obligations.
“Today, we renew our solemn and just mission to lead humanity into the farthest reaches of the universe,” the document states.The Moon by 2028, then Mars
Trump states that the United States will lead the exploration, development and settlement of the new frontiers, linking the space agenda to the ideas of freedom, individual rights and American technological leadership.
The proclamation sets a specific goal of returning American astronauts to the Moon by 2028. It also calls for the establishment of a permanent American presence on the lunar surface, as well as accelerating plans for an American to be the first person to set foot on Mars.
The document refers to the “Artemis II” mission, which, according to the White House, took astronauts farther from Earth in April 2026 than any previous crewed mission. The next stage identified in the proclamation is “Artemis III” – a complex test campaign planned for the summer of 2027.
What international law says
Trump’s wording does not mean that the United States is acquiring ownership or sovereignty over space. The 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty defines the exploration and use of outer space as activities carried out for the benefit of all countries and humanity. The same treaty prohibits the national appropriation of outer space and celestial bodies through claims of sovereignty, occupation or by any other means.
It is precisely this legal framework that is also cited in the proclamation itself, which expressly places the future American presence in space within the limits of the United States’ international obligations. Thus, the document outlines a political and strategic goal for Washington, but in itself does not alter the international rules currently in force.
“The nation that leads in space will shape the future of humanity – and that nation will be the United States of America,” Trump declares in the proclamation.
Sources: cnnbrasil.com.br, axios.com