‘Elon will soon be on his way’: Donald Trump seeks Elon Musk, SpaceX’s help in rescuing Sunita Williams

World's richest man, Elon Musk has announced that SpaceX will expedite efforts to bring home stranded NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024. The two were initially set to return within weeks of their launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner but have remained on the ISS due to technical concerns with the spacecraft.

The SpaceX CEO revealed on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump had requested his company’s assistance in facilitating their return. In a post on X, Musk stated, “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the two astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so.” He further criticised the Biden administration for the prolonged delay, calling it “terrible.”

NASA’s Response and the Mission Timeline

NASA has consistently maintained that the astronauts are not stranded and are in good health. The space agency had already engaged SpaceX in August 2024 to return Williams and Wilmore as part of its Crew-9 mission. To accommodate them, NASA revised its original Crew-9 plans, reducing the number of outbound astronauts on the SpaceX Dragon flight in September. The return was initially scheduled for February 2025 but was later postponed to March to allow additional work on the next-generation Dragon spacecraft.

Trump’s Reaction and Possible Early Return

President Trump acknowledged Musk’s involvement, posting on Truth Social, “Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!” However, he did not specify a revised timeline for the mission.

Musk’s latest statement suggests that Crew Dragon Freedom may depart the ISS sooner than expected, bringing Williams and Wilmore back to Earth earlier than the planned March 2025 timeline. If SpaceX advances its schedule, it could provide NASA with a resolution to what has become a prolonged and politically charged situation.