President Donald Trump has pledged to personally compensate astronauts who were stranded in space for several months, should it be necessary, after they received minimal remuneration for their extended mission.
The astronauts, who were left with a mere $5 daily per diem for 286 days, totaling $1,430 in additional pay, did not receive any overtime compensation for their prolonged stay.
Fox News' Peter Doocy highlighted the situation, asking if there was any possibility for the administration to address this financial shortfall. President Trump responded, "Well, nobody's ever mentioned this to me. If I have to I'll pay that of my own pocket. Ok? I'll get it for them. I like that." As reported by The Post Millennial, the President expressed surprise at the modest compensation, stating, "Is that all? That's not a lot for what they had to go through." He also extended his gratitude to Elon Musk for his pivotal role in the astronauts' safe return, noting the potential health risks they faced due to the extended duration in space. "And I want to thank Elon Musk, by the way, because think of we don't have him. You know, there's only so long, even though they're in the capsule up there. The body starts to deteriorate after nine or 10 months and gets really bad after 14 [or] 15, months, with the bones and the blood and all the things that you've been reporting on very well. And if we don't have Elon, they could be up there a long time," Trump remarked.
The astronauts in question, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Suni Williams, were initially scheduled for an eight-day mission at the International Space Station (ISS). However, complications with the Boeing Starliner capsule extended their stay to over nine months. The White House attributed the delay in their return to what it described as the Biden administration's lack of urgency. Karoline Leavitt criticized President Biden's handling of the situation, stating, "Joe Biden's lack of courage to act boldly and decisively was a big reason why Butch and Suni did not make it back until yesterday. But President Trump doesn't waste time."
Elon Musk also weighed in on the situation, suggesting that the delay in the astronauts' rescue was influenced by "political reasons" during his attempts to collaborate with the Biden administration. The incident underscores the importance of decisive leadership and swift action in addressing challenges faced by American astronauts, as well as the critical role of private sector innovation in space exploration.
Login