Trump is willing to pay overtime for astronauts stranded in space out of his own pocket
The president criticized NASA's low compensation and said he would reward the crew for their extended mission on the ISS.
Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
President Donald Trump affirmed that he is willing to pay out of his own pocket for overtime for astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for 286 days.
Although the astronauts' extended stay occurred during the administration of former President Joe Biden, Trump assured that he would financially reward Williams and Wilmore. During an interview, he expressed surprise that NASA would only cover $5 per day in incidentals for the astronauts. "If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket," he said, questioning the meager compensation for the crew members after their extended mission.
Trump's financial commitment
In the interview with Fox News's Peter Doocy, Trump reacted with disbelief to the amount NASA earmarked for the astronauts. According to Doocy, the total amount of back payments would amount to approximately $1,430. "Is that all? That’s not a lot, for what they had to go through," the chairman commented.
Updates
SpaceX's mission was a success: The astronauts who had been in space for almost a year returned safely to Earth
Luis Francisco Orozco
SpaceX bailout and criticism of the Biden administration
Williams and Wilmore were able to return to Earth thanks to a rescue mission by SpaceX, Elon Musk's company, which sent a Crew Dragon capsule to bring them back. he craft briefly docked with the ISS before transporting them to the Gulf of Mexico near Tallahassee, Florida, where dolphins greeted them.
Trump and Musk have criticized Biden for what they see as a lack of urgency in returning the astronauts. "if we don’t have Elon, they could be up there a long time" Trump said, warning about the adverse effects of a prolonged stay in space. Musk, for his part, attributed the delay to "political reasons."
Delays in the return mission
NASA had initially planned the rescue in September 2024 with a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, but delayed the return until a new replacement crew was ready to travel to the ISS, extending Williams and Wilmore's mission.
The delay drew criticism, with Trump hinting that the Biden administration avoided prioritizing the return not to draw attention to the situation. Finally, after an additional four months in space, SpaceX was able to finalize their safe return to Earth.
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