Legendary actor William Shatner is renewing his push to have Pluto officially restored as the ninth planet, this time urging President Donald J. Trump to act in 2026. In a recent post on X, Shatner called on the president to formally recognize Pluto’s planetary status, arguing that the 2006 decision to demote it was flawed, unscientific, and driven by a small group of elite astronomers rather than public consensus or historical precedent.

Shatner has long criticized the International Astronomical Union’s reclassification of Pluto and has repeatedly singled out astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson as a central figure behind the demotion. He argues that the decision ignored Pluto’s discovery by American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh and erased nearly a century of scientific and cultural recognition. According to Shatner, the move represented bureaucratic overreach masquerading as scientific refinement.

Shatner’s 2026 call builds on years of advocacy. In May 2025, he wrote: “We should ask Elon to get the President to sign one of those Executive thingies to make Pluto a planet again,” tagging Elon Musk and leaning into Musk’s perceived influence in Trump’s orbit. The comment reflected Shatner’s long-standing strategy of combining public pressure, political leverage, and high-profile allies to push for the planet’s reinstatement.

In his latest comments, Shatner suggested that President Trump—who has shown a willingness to challenge international bodies and assert American authority—could restore Pluto’s status through executive action or formal recognition. While such a move would be symbolic rather than scientific, Shatner views symbolism as important, especially when an international organization unilaterally alters long-standing definitions that shaped generations of education.

Shatner has previously pushed back publicly against Tyson’s role in popularizing Pluto’s downgrade and has argued that the criteria used by the IAU—specifically the requirement that a planet “clear its orbit” was selectively applied and poorly explained to the public. He has also pointed to NASA’s New Horizons mission, which revealed Pluto to be geologically complex, atmospherically active, and far from the inert object its critics implied.

The effort has drawn notable support. Elon Musk has repeatedly voiced agreement with restoring Pluto’s planetary status, posting “Pluto should be a planet” and engaging positively with Shatner on the issue. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has also publicly supported reinstating Pluto, framing the debate as emblematic of resistance to unelected international authorities redefining foundational concepts.

Only time will tell if Pluto returns to its planetary status.