Elon Musk accuses Joe Biden of blocking rescue of NASA astronaut Sunita Williams

Sunita Williams' Delayed Return: Musk Accuses White House of Blocking Rescue

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return home after a prolonged stay in space. Their eight-day mission turned into an eight-month ordeal due to issues with Boeing's Starliner. However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk now claims the delay was unnecessary and politically motivated.

Musk Blames White House for Delay
Musk alleged that the Biden administration blocked SpaceX from launching a rescue mission months ago. He claimed SpaceX could have sent a Crew Dragon spacecraft to retrieve them six months earlier. "The White House refused to allow it, not NASA," Musk posted on X.

The astronauts launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner on 6 June 2024, but technical problems made it unsafe for reentry. With the Starliner grounded, NASA arranged for them to return on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon after the arrival of the Crew-10 mission.

Musk also credited former President Donald Trump for advocating their return. "Trump pushed for their immediate retrieval," he said.

The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months.
SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it.President Trump asked to bring them back as https://t.co/BVsHRn2Ocf Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2025

Wilmore Dismisses Political Angle
Despite Musk’s statements, Wilmore downplayed any political interference. During a press conference from the ISS, he stated, "Politics is not a factor in this at all." He explained that extended missions are common in spaceflight, requiring backup plans.

When asked about Musk’s claim that SpaceX could have rescued them earlier, Wilmore carefully responded, "What Mr. Musk says is factual." However, he admitted they were unaware of any direct rescue offers.

Elon Musk talks to Joe Rogan about the stranded astronauts hes rescuing with SpaceX- They were only supposed to be in Space for 8 days- Biden admin left them stranded for 8 MONTHS- Elon Musk says the longer they stay up there in Zero G You get increased bone loss- SpaceX pic.twitter.com/939PgWIwFF Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) March 5, 2025

Return Mission Set for March
Williams and Wilmore will return aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon after the Crew-10 launch on 12 March. They will take the seats left vacant by Crew-9 astronauts departing the ISS.

Reflecting on their extended stay, Wilmore described it as "amazing" and an opportunity to train on different spacecraft. Williams shared her excitement about returning, saying, "Coming home in the spacecraft will be a new chapter."

Their return marks the conclusion of a mission that raised questions about NASA’s reliance on commercial partners, Boeing’s Starliner safety, and the influence of politics in space decisions.