President Donald Trump took to social media on Tuesday to criticize the Biden administration, accusing it of “abandoning” two NASA astronauts who remain aboard the International Space Station (ISS) following delays with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Trump claimed he has asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to retrieve the astronauts, despite no indication that they are stranded.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump alleged that the Biden administration had left Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams “virtually abandoned in space” and praised Musk for stepping in.
“I have asked Elon Musk to go get the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden administration,” Trump wrote. “They have been waiting for many months on @Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”
Musk later echoed Trump’s claim on X (formerly Twitter), stating that SpaceX would bring the astronauts home, calling it “terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
Despite Trump and Musk’s assertions, NASA had already made provisions for Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth. The astronauts, who originally launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, were meant to complete an eight-to-ten-day mission before encountering technical issues that led to multiple delays.
Following propellant leaks and pressurization problems with Starliner’s propulsion system, NASA opted to extend their stay at the ISS rather than risk an early return with the compromised spacecraft. The Starliner capsule was instead remotely piloted back to Earth on Sept. 7, with no major issues reported.
NASA then intentionally adjusted crew rotations to accommodate Wilmore and Williams, assigning them seats on a SpaceX Crew Dragon scheduled for return at the end of March 2025. The spacecraft, which carried two astronauts to the ISS last September, was always planned to bring them home alongside its original crew.
NASA made the decision to delay their return based on risk assessments and logistical planning, ensuring the smooth rotation of ISS crew members without disrupting scientific research. Both Wilmore and Williams were aware of the mission extension and have expressed understanding of the decision.
Bringing them home earlier than planned would mean accelerating the return of Crew 9 astronauts Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, leaving only a single U.S. astronaut, Don Pettit, aboard the ISS, which could severely disrupt operations.
Despite Musk’s comments, SpaceX has been involved in NASA’s crew rotation plans from the outset and was aware of the reasoning behind Starliner’s mission adjustments. No reports suggest that the Biden administration played any role in these technical decisions.
As NASA moves forward with its carefully planned timeline, any adjustments to Crew 10’s launch or Crew 9’s return would likely be minimal. Suggestions that an immediate intervention is required by SpaceX appear to be more political than practical.