Bessent expects Trump, Xi to discuss minerals trade shortly
Bessent indicates that Trump and Xi are expected to engage in discussions regarding the minerals trade dispute in the near future. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, seeks to engage the private sector to facilitate human missions to Mars, a proposal that closely mirrors the ambitions of Elon Musk. The White House’s budget proposal for 2026, unveiled late on Friday, includes a provision of over $1 billion dedicated to Mars exploration, featuring a new initiative from Nasa known as the Commercial Mars Payload Services Programme (CMPS). Under the proposal, NASA would allocate contracts to firms engaged in the development of spacesuits, communication systems, and a human-rated landing vehicle to promote exploration of the Red Planet.
Trump’s proposed $18.8 billion NASA budget would reduce the agency’s funding by approximately 25 percent compared to the previous year, resulting in significant reductions to its science portfolio. The detailed request on Friday expands upon a summarized budget proposal issued earlier this month. “We must continue to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars,” stated Nasa Acting Administrator Janet Petro in a letter accompanying the request. “This entails making strategic decisions — which may involve scaling back or discontinuing ineffective efforts.”
The new Mars initiative draws inspiration from Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which has provided advantages to Intuitive Machines LLC, Firefly Aerospace Inc., and Astrobotic Technology Inc., albeit with varied outcomes. The budget indicates that the contract for a Mars landing will leverage existing lander agreements. Musk’s SpaceX is currently in the process of developing a variant of its Starship rocket aimed at facilitating the return of Americans to the lunar surface as part of the agency’s Artemis program. Musk articulated an ambitious vision for an extensive settlement on Mars during a discussion earlier this week with SpaceX employees. Jared Isaacman, the tech billionaire selected by Trump to lead NASA, informed lawmakers that the agency has the potential to simultaneously pursue missions to both the moon and Mars.
The administration’s proposed cuts, especially those affecting Nasa’s science portfolio, have elicited criticism from stakeholders in the space industry and lawmakers, including former Republican Congressmen such as Newt Gingrich and Bob Walker. Isaacman himself stated that the science cuts would not represent a “optimal outcome.” The administration previously disclosed intentions to discontinue the Boeing-built Space Launch System rocket and the Lockheed Martin Orion crew capsule, components of which have undergone years of development, following three flights.
The budget outlines a strategy for new, private sector-led missions to the moon, aiming to minimize costs and mitigate schedule risks, as stated by the White House. It would be based on a NASA initiative that contributed to the advancement of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Northrop Grumman Corp.’s cargo-carrying Cygnus. The budget proposal is expected to face opposition from seasoned Congressional members, such as Texas Republicans Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Brian Babin, who have staunchly supported the existing plans for lunar exploration.
