Washington, D.C., March 21, 2025 – President Donald Trump has pledged to personally cover the overtime pay for NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, who returned from a nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally planned as an eight-day mission, their stay was extended due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. Trump, surprised by their $5 daily per diem, stated, “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket.”
NASA had to rely on SpaceX for the astronauts’ return, prompting Trump to praise Elon Musk for the successful retrieval. He also highlighted the physical toll of extended space travel, emphasizing the challenges astronauts face after prolonged time in orbit.
