President Donald Trump has arrived to Houston Thursday for a two-day visit that begins with politics and ends with a ceremony honoring the four astronauts behind a historic trip around the Moon.
The White House schedule shows Air Force One is expected to arrive at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base Thursday afternoon, although an exact arrival time has not been released.
Trump is then scheduled to attend what the White House calls an “RNC Engagement” at 6 p.m. Houston time. The event is closed to the press, but the location has been confirmed as the Post Oak hotel.
On Thursday, security and law enforcement blocked off Post Oak plaza ahead of President Trump’s arrival.
According to KPRC 2 sources, a high ranking dignitary will also be in attendance.
On Friday, Trump will head to NASA’s Johnson Space Center to present the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the four members of the Artemis II crew.
President Donald Trump lands in Houston (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Here’s what we know about the president’s Houston visit:
Trump begins Thursday in Washington, D.C.
According to the White House schedule, the president has a policy meeting scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, followed by a signing at 1:30 p.m.
Trump will then depart the Washington area for Houston. The White House lists both his departure and Houston arrival times as TBD.
Air Force One is expected to arrive at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in southeast Houston.
By 6 p.m. Houston time, Trump is scheduled to participate in an RNC engagement. The event is listed as closed to the press.
That is one of the biggest unanswered questions surrounding Thursday’s visit.
The exact location has not been publicly announced.
Houston Public Media previously reported Trump is expected to take part in a Republican National Committee fundraiser in Houston Thursday evening.
The president’s official schedule describes the event only as an “RNC Engagement.”
The fundraiser is expected to bring in major contributions for Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.
According to previously published reports about the event, ticket prices range from $10,000 to nearly $500,000, depending on the level of participation and access.
The fundraiser benefits the Republican National Committee.
The Houston fundraiser comes as national attention turns toward the U.S. Senate race in Texas.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.
Houston Public Media reported the Houston event is aimed at helping Republicans, including Paxton, as the party prepares for the November election.
The Texas Senate contest is expected to draw significant spending from both parties as control of Congress is decided this fall.
President Donald Trump lands in Houston (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
Friday’s visit shifts from politics to space exploration.
Trump is scheduled to visit Johnson Space Center to honor the crew of Artemis II.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m. Houston time.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman is also expected to participate.
Trump will present each Artemis II crew member with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
The four astronauts being honored are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
The crew completed the Artemis II mission on April 10 after spending 10 days traveling around the Moon aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
Trump also has a connection to the astronauts from their mission. He spoke with the crew while they were in space and later hosted them in the Oval Office following their return to Earth.
Artemis II marked the first crewed flight of NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
NASA says the four astronauts became the first humans in more than 50 years to travel beyond the Moon.
The crew also traveled farther into space than any humans before them.
The mission tested Orion and other systems NASA plans to rely on as the Artemis program works toward sending astronauts back to the lunar surface.
The Congressional Space Medal of Honor is one of the nation’s highest honors for astronauts.
Despite its name, the medal is presented by the president of the United States.
Federal law allows the president, based on recommendations from the NASA administrator, to award the medal to astronauts who distinguish themselves through exceptionally meritorious efforts and contributions to the United States and humanity.
The medal has been awarded since 1978.
Previous recipients include Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and James Lovell.
Members of the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews have also received the honor posthumously.
Only 30 astronauts had received the medal before the Artemis II crew.
That remains unknown.
The White House schedule lists Trump’s arrival at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base as TBD.
His schedule shows an out-of-town travel pool call at Joint Base Andrews at 1:15 p.m. Eastern Time and a White House signing at 1:30 p.m.
The president is scheduled to be at the RNC event in Houston by 6 p.m. local time.
Specific road closures have not been announced.
Presidential visits often involve temporary road closures as the motorcade travels between locations.
Because the location of Thursday’s RNC event has not been publicly disclosed, the president’s route after leaving Ellington Field is also unknown.
KPRC 2 is monitoring the president’s schedule and any traffic or security impacts associated with his Houston visit.
Trump’s RNC event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday.
The president then heads to Johnson Space Center Friday, where the Artemis II ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
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