US President Donald Trump has said that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore would visit the White House once they have recovered.
When asked about their visit by a Fox News reporter, Trump responded, “Well, they have to get better. You know, when you are up there and you have no pull on your muscle, you have no gravity, you can lift a thousand pounds like this.”
“They have to get better. It will be a little bit tough for them. It’s not easy, you know. They were up for a long time and when they do, they will come to the Oval office.” he added.
The astronauts successfully returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending over nine months in space. Their mission, originally planned as a short seven-day stay aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, was extended due to technical issues. Problems with the spacecraft, including propulsion malfunctions and helium leaks, delayed their return, keeping them aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for several months longer than expected.
Earlier in the day, Trump celebrated their return. The White House’s official X (formerly Twitter) account posted, “Promise made, promise kept: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months. Today, they safely splashed down in the Gulf of America, thanks to @ElonMusk, @SpaceX, and @Nasa!”
Trump has also shared a video of the splashdown on X with the caption, “USA! More winning.”
