In a dramatic statement, former US President Donald Trump accused the Biden administration of abandoning Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore aboard the International Space Station (ISS), claiming he has personally asked Elon Musk to launch a rescue mission.
“Biden left them up there,” Trump, 78, declared in the Oval Office, blasting his successor for allowing an eight-day mission to stretch into nine months. The former president insisted that Musk is preparing a spacecraft to bring them back within two weeks.
Referring to Williams, 59, Trump made an unusual remark about her hair, saying, “And I see the woman with the wild hair—good, solid head of hair she’s got.” His comments, laced with humor, did little to overshadow the gravity of the situation as he vowed, “We’re coming up to get you.”
Musk, the SpaceX CEO, backed Trump’s claim, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that SpaceX could have sent a rescue mission six months ago but was allegedly blocked by the Biden White House.
Williams and Wilmore were sent to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024 for what was supposed to be a short eight-day mission. However, persistent technical failures, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, rendered their return vessel unsafe. Despite breaking records for spacewalking time, Williams now faces an indefinite stay in orbit.
As political tensions flare on Earth, the fate of the two astronauts remains uncertain, with Trump now positioning himself as their unlikely savior.
