Trump issues Election Day proclamations on space, communism

President Trump marked Election Day by issuing two proclamations on space and anti-communism Tuesday.

The president signed “the American Declaration of Freedom in Space,” which states Earth’s solar system and outer space “are open to exploration, development, use, and the establishment of a permanent presence” by U.S. citizens.

A second proclamation Trump signed declared Nov. 1-7 “Anti-communism Week.”

“I call upon all Americans to stand firm in their defense against any threat to the American way of life and to protect our burning flame of liberty from the darkness of communism,” Trump said in the proclamation.

The announcement of the proclamations comes as the first polls close on Election Day.

Polls show Trump and Republicans facing an uphill climb in their battle to defend their majorities in the House and the Senate as Democrats hammer Republicans over the administration’s handling of affordability and the economy.

“The President has left it all out on the field and he’s done everything that was needed. Republicans are in a better spot now than they were four weeks ago,” a White House official told The Hill.

Trump is expected to watch the results come in during an election watch party in the White House East Room Tuesday evening.