Paid for how?
Trump stated that NASA should be used for exploration because that is where the innovation comes from and not as a delivery system for low orbit cargo.
A very valid question, but part of a much bigger picture.
With adults in charge again soon, we need to focus on our national defense in all aspects. That includes a strong economy and a strong industrial and technology sector. Space policy is just a part of that larger picture.
Our national space program, as with any govt entity, should primarily serve the constitutionally authorized national defense. There are several ways that it can do so. One of those is by getting the US back to being the worlds lead in technology so that when foreign threats emerge, we are so far ahead that they would not dare to challenge us. One way this is accomplished is by pushing the limits in access to space, remote sensing capabilities, space situational awareness, robustness and defense of critical infrastructure (GPS, comms, etc), etc. These dual use technologies are then available for military needs if a threat is present.
The above is accomplished through the inspiration of young engineers through programs like return to the moon, and missions to mars. But the goal of going to mars is really to serve the previously stated national defense purposes.
Related to this, accomplishing any of these tasks is only possible when we have an educated workforce. So a not stated goal is getting our young back into the sciences and mathematics that a healthy tech industry will need. IMO, we need to stop providing govt grants/loan programs to college unless the major is one that falls into a national need category, like engineering or life science (medical), etc.
So a national space "policy" is one that focuses the limited resources (money) not onto pie-in-the-sky efforts, but on 1) the projects that best support our lead in the world in tech and tech applications, and 2) the development of the critical skills in our workforce to sustain that lead.
The same type of US national security perspective should also be exercised in national energy policy, national education policy, national health policy, etc, etc. Doesn't necessarily mean we need a big bureaucracy for each, just guiding principles that give a worthy purpose to each.
1. Stop funding so many liberal programs out of the government.
2. Tax receipts funneled back to the government from the high-tech jobs that NASA pipelines to the private sector.