US President Donald Trump has said he wants to eclipse John F. Kennedy’s feat of putting a man on the moon by sending a mission to Mars.

Mr Trump told reporters that progress was being made on the potential space exploration.

At Friends of Ireland luncheon, Pres. Trump praises JFK for setting U.S.'s sights on reaching the moon. "We're looking at Mars, by the way...We're trying to top him." https://t.co/NkJuIoh4fP pic.twitter.com/0AA6ZV07gx — ABC News (@ABC) March 15, 2018

“We’re looking at Mars, by the way,” Mr Trump said. “Trying to top [Kennedy]. We’re going to get there. It’s moving along pretty good. A lot of things have happened ... way ahead of schedule.”

It comes a day after Mr Trump said no one would be talking about a mission to Mars if Hillary Clinton won the 2016 election.

“Very soon we’re going to Mars,” he said. “You wouldn’t be going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn’t even be thinking about it.”

Kennedy became US president in 1961 and set his sights on reaching the moon.

While he was assassinated in 1963, the US managed to beat Russia with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepping on the surface of the moon in 1967.

US Vice President Mike Pence has been put in charge of Mr Trump’s space exploration ambitions.