Tech billionaire and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has accused the Biden administration of blocking his offer to retrieve two NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for political reasons. The claim gained further weight after astronaut Barry Wilmore affirmed Musk’s statement during a press conference.
During an in-orbit media interaction, a Washington Post reporter asked Wilmore whether Musk’s claim— that his offer to send a SpaceX Dragon capsule was denied— was accurate. Wilmore responded, “I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says is absolutely factual.”
The astronauts were initially scheduled to stay in space for just eight days, but due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, their mission has stretched to nine months. Musk had proposed an alternative return plan using SpaceX’s capsule, but the Biden administration allegedly blocked it.
Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk accused the administration of rejecting his offer for political reasons, claiming they didn’t want to boost his credibility and potentially harm Vice President Kamala Harris’s election campaign.
“The astronauts could have come back six months ago, but the White House (not NASA) refused to allow it,” Musk said in response to a social media post.
Musk’s allegations have sparked controversy, with critics accusing the Biden administration of prioritizing politics over astronaut safety. Meanwhile, the astronauts are now expected to return in the coming weeks after a SpaceX capsule change accelerated their return timeline.