Star Trek Stars, First Lady Screen Beyond for the Joining Forces Initiative at the White House

Chris Pine, Karl Urban, and Simon Pegg continued on their PR blitz just before the opening weekend of Star Trek Beyond as guests of First Lady Michelle Obama, who invited the trio to introduce a screening of the film for the Joining Forces initiative at the White House.

Stars and crew of the latest installment in the Star Trek franchise are traveling all around the country this week in anticipation of the opening night of Star Trek Beyond in theaters in the US this Friday.

First Lady Michelle Obama who, along with Jill Biden, created the Joining Forces initiative, invited Chris Pine, Karl Urban, and Simon Pegg to take a tour of the White House and introduce a special screening of their latest film.

The Joining Forces initiative was created in 2011 and is a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around service members, veterans, and their families and support them through wellness, education, and employment opportunities.

The First Lady joked with the crowd that, since they were getting to see the latest Star Trek installment before its release, they should feel free to brag about it, but refrain from spoiling the film. Mrs. Obama concluded her remarks by facetiously telling the crowd “may the force be with you” as she flashed two Vulcan salutes.

This continues Star Trek’s support for military members, veterans, and their families. Star Trek Into Darkness was dedicated to The Mission Continues, an organization designed to help soldiers returning home from war and several veterans cameoed as Starfleet officers in the film’s final scene. Members of the cast also traveled to Kuwait in 2009 to show Star Trek to active-duty service members.

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Nice! One thing about the Trek franchise is that every American President, regardless of party, has looked up to it. Its great they did this.

Well now you got me thinking of Jefferson and Adams arguing about Kirk vs. Picard.
…And it’s hilarious. Well done!

LOL is that on youtube somewhere? I would love to see that.

I could see Jefferson being a fan of Picard’s ideals, but also a fan of Kirk’s womanizing ways.

AMERICA

Very Cool.

I can’t believe that the president missed this!

Well he has a lot on his plate these days but Obama is a huge Trek fan. I’m sure he will see the film on his own soon at least.

I really like that President Obama is such a Star Trek nerd, and I guess he’s screened every episode in the White House … Michelle, Malia and Sasha get to watch it too, like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s family … smiling at the historical connection and the fact that two such brilliant Americans were Star Trek fans!

Agree and like!

And he’s seen all 3 movies there from 2009 to 2016.

Awesome

America, and the rest of the world need to get together, and make Starfleet, and the Federation reality.
If we could make the Prime Directive our focal point- like the Constitution has been for America, it could only make us better as a species.

True but what we usually forget we had to had to have both a nuclear war and an Eugenics just to come together first. As bad as things are now its actually Trek that presented the future much much worse lol. I can’t wait until we get to the year we kill all the lawyers though. ;)

Actually… It took a Eugenics war, WW3 and then First Contact with Vulcans for humans to finally come together. Like the opening song to Enterprise says… “It’s been a long road, getting from there to here”

We, as a race, still have a very long way to go. But there is always hope.

Your absolutely correct

Could never see Melania Trump introducing “Star Trek” (or Bill Clinton, for that matter).

Why does the theatre appear to be half empty? You would think it would be packed!

As a veteran, I absolutely love this. I’ve been a Trek fan my entire life and it’s nice to know that in the 7 years I’ve been a honorably discharged veteran, that Trek has cared about me and my brothers and sisters.

It’s interesting… Very few mentioning the initiative for veterans. More googling over the president and first lady than helping those who serve(d). Granted… only 18 comments up to this point… but you know…

Its certainly a great cause and of course its about the veterans at the end of the day. :)

I think what is being said is its no secret the Obamas are huge Trek fans so to have this film specifically shown is kind of why we are mention it. And if they went with TMNT 2 no one here would care lol.

With the extremists in the world today, I have almost given up on Star Trek vision of our future and have moved on to the concept in Interstellar….

Off to Edmunds planet!!!

Oh geez. I appreciate you trying to be nice but….. sigh…. she clearly didn’t say that facetiously. She has no clue about Star Trek. UGHHHHHHHHH