Trump Calls on Musk to Bring Back Stranded NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday (January 28, 2025) that he has directed Elon Musk and SpaceX to bring home NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) months after their planned return.
Williams and Wilmore launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for what was supposed to be a week-long test mission. However, technical malfunctions—including thruster issues and helium leaks—forced NASA to postpone their return indefinitely.
The space agency had initially planned to bring them back aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon in February, but the mission was delayed to late March as SpaceX prepares a new vehicle.
Trump, taking to Truth Social, blamed the Biden administration for the astronauts’ prolonged stay in orbit.
“I have just asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration. They have been waiting for many months on the Space Station,” Trump wrote.
“Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck, Elon!!!” he added, without specifying a launch date.
Musk, now a key financial backer of Trump’s campaign and an official member of his administration, confirmed on X that the president had urged SpaceX to expedite the mission.
Despite their extended stay, Williams and Wilmore remain in good spirits. NASA has assured that they have sufficient supplies and are making the most of their time in orbit. While their delay is unusual, it has not yet broken the record set by astronaut Frank Rubio, who spent 371 consecutive days aboard the ISS in 2023 after his Russian return capsule was disabled by a coolant leak.