Trump and Musk Again Falsely State NASA Astronauts Were 'Left in Space' for 'Political Reasons' Days After Crew Refutes Claim

During a joint Fox News interview on Tuesday, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk perpetuated the false claim that two NASA astronauts were "left in space" for "political reasons" despite the space cadets saying otherwise just days ago.

Conservative host Sean Hannity outlines Musk's ambitious plans for space, which include rescuing Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore who have been in space since July 2024. Hannity then commented he thinks the astronauts were "abandoned; they dispute that in an interview" before Trump turns to Musk and asks when he's getting them.

"At the president's request, or, instruction, we are accelerating the return of the astronauts, which was postponed, kind of, to a ridiculous degree," Musk said in a clip circulating on X.

"They got left in space," Trump interjected to blame the incident on former President Joe Biden.

"They were left up there for political reasons, which is not good," Musk added.

The NASA astronauts refuted Trump and Elon's claims that they were intentionally left behind during a CNN interview with Anderson Cooper on February 13.

"We don't feel abandoned, we don't feel stuck," Williams told Cooper, according to Politico. "Help us change the rhetoric, help us change the narrative. Let's change it to 'prepared and committed.'"

Williams and Wilmore are set to return home in a SpaceX capsule on March 12.