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Billionaire Elon Musk revealed on Tuesday (local time) that US President Donald Trump had requested his help in facilitating the return of astronauts Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore, who've been aboard the space station since June 2024, as early as possible.
The SpaceX CEO expressed that it was “terrible” the pair had been “stranded” at the International Space Station (ISS) under the early administration of President Joe Biden, even though NASA had enlisted SpaceX several months earlier to bring the astronauts back as part of its Crew-9 mission.
“The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so,” Musk said in a post on X.
“Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long,” he added further.
Trump Responds
US President Donald Trump commented on Tuesday that SpaceX would “soon” initiate a mission to return the 2 American astronauts who have been on the International Space Station for so many months. “Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!” Trump posted this on the Truth Social platform, though he did not provide a specific timeline for the mission.
NASA has continually elaborated that the astronauts are not stranded, are in good health, and are in high spirits.