Musk, Trump Pledge Rescue of Stranded NASA Astronauts

Elon Musk announced plans to return NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams from the International Space Station within four weeks, during a joint interview with President Donald Trump. Musk criticized the Biden administration for the delay, claiming the astronauts were left stranded for 'political reasons.' He emphasized that SpaceX is expediting their return at Trump's request, asserting that the astronauts had been scheduled for an eight-day mission but have been in space for nearly 300 days due to technical issues with their spacecraft. Despite Musk's claims, both Wilmore and Williams have stated they do not feel abandoned and have made the most of their extended stay. NASA previously indicated that safety concerns with their original return vehicle contributed to the delay. Trump praised Musk's technological contributions and assured that the return process would be prioritized.