US President Donald Trump has described billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk as a “modern-day Thomas Edison”, praising his contributions to space exploration, satellite communications, electric vehicles and artificial intelligence while crediting his companies with advancing America’s strategic interests.
Trump made the remarks while presenting Musk with the National Medal of Science at the New Golden Age Summit on Thursday. During the ceremony, the US President highlighted Musk’s technological achievements and recalled how his satellite communications network, Starlink, helped provide connectivity to communities affected by a devastating hurricane in North Carolina.
“Few Americans in history have done more to advance America’s national interest than Elon, in one field after another, his genius and determination have made science fiction into reality,” Trump said.
Trump credited SpaceX, founded by Musk in 2002, with changing the economics of space exploration through privately developed rockets and reusable launch technology. He said the company had reduced America’s dependence on foreign countries for transporting astronauts into space.
“SpaceX saved NASA from relying on foreign nations to send our astronauts into space,” he said.
Trump also congratulated SpaceX on what he described as the safe return of Crew-12 from the International Space Station shortly before the ceremony. He praised Starship, the company’s rocket designed for rapid reuse, and Starlink, its satellite-based communications network.
Recalling the hurricane in North Carolina, Trump said he had received an appeal for help after flooding left residents stranded and unable to communicate effectively with emergency responders.
He said he contacted Musk directly and that Starlink equipment was delivered within hours despite logistical challenges.
“So I never forgot that experience. It was a terrible time and the job he (Elon Musk) did, and he acted so fast,” Trump said.
The President claimed the intervention had saved hundreds of lives, although the figure was not independently substantiated in the summit transcript.
Trump also highlighted Musk’s role in transforming the automobile industry through Tesla and his work on brain-computer interfaces through Neuralink. He said the latter was developing technologies intended to help restore functions such as sight, speech and movement in people with severe disabilities.
During his address, Trump recalled an unusual connection between his family and inventor Nikola Tesla. He said his uncle, Dr John Trump, a longtime professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had been asked by the US government to assess Tesla’s scientific work and had concluded that the inventor was a genuine scientific genius.
Trump also referred to Musk’s involvement in artificial intelligence, linking his work to the administration’s broader efforts to maintain American leadership in emerging technologies.
“ Elon is our modern-day Thomas Edison. And Elon, I wanna congratulate you, you’re my friend and all of that, but you are a very, very special guy,” Trump said.
The National Medal of Science is among the United States’ highest honours for scientific achievement. Musk was recognised for engineering contributions spanning space exploration, communications, intelligence systems and manufacturing.
Musk’s companies operate across several strategically important sectors, including commercial space launches, electric vehicles, satellite internet and artificial intelligence. SpaceX has become a major NASA partner, while Starlink has expanded satellite-based internet access in various parts of the world.
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