“Absolutely Factual”: Stranded Astronauts Confirm Musk’s Pre-Election Rescue Offer Was Snubbed

Elon Musk revealed on a recent Joe Rogan podcast that SpaceX offered to rescue the stranded Boeing Starliner astronauts on the International Space Station last year, but the Biden administration rejected the offer “for political reasons.” Musk claimed, “There is no way they’re going to make anyone supporting Trump look good” ahead of the November presidential elections. 

“We offered to bring them back early – this offer was rejected by the Biden administration”0

Joe: “Why?”

Elon: “Political reasons. There is no way they’re going to make someone supporting Trump look good.”pic.twitter.com/QXVbpDPgKr

— Donna Marie (@sabback) March 6, 2025

Fast forward to Tuesday, a Washington Post journalist asked the stranded astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, if the Biden administration rejected Musk’s space rescue offer ahead of the election.

Wilmore responded: ”I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says is absolutely factual…” He noted that the exact reasons behind the offer being rejected were unknown to him or Williams. 

… and the WaPo journalist was crushed by Wilmore’s response, validating Musk’s claims. 

NEW: Astronaut says Elon Musk is “absolutely factual” after a WaPo reporter asked him about how Musk said his rescue efforts were denied for political reasons.

Musk was condemned by the media for making the comment but it appears the astronauts agree.

Reporter: “Elon Musk has… pic.twitter.com/Qeb8sF8gnT

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 6, 2025

The big revelation by Wilmore, plus Musk’s comments, paints the Biden-Harris administration as reckless for jeopardizing the lives of two of America’s top astronauts. 

Musk commented about this on X:

The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months. SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it. President Trump asked to bring them back as soon as possible and we are doing so.

The astronauts were only supposed to be up there for 8 days and now have been there for 8 months.

SpaceX could have sent up another Dragon and brought them home 6 months ago, but the Biden White House (not NASA) refused to allow it.

President Trump asked to bring them back as… https://t.co/BVsHRn2Ocf

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 5, 2025

Bill Ackman chimed in on the conversation:

So not only did Biden not invite @elonmusk to the White House EV summit, Biden would not let Elon retrieve the astronauts from the Space Station. When a president puts our astronauts at risk for his own political benefit, we have reached a new low point in presidential history.

Once again, the Biden-Harris regime stands accused of prioritizing a corrupt political party first over national well-being, this time at the expense of two astronauts who have remained in space for 7.5 months longer than initially anticipated. 

We could see this playing out a mile away. We said last August:  “Additionally, it’s an election year for the Biden administration, which has been on a crusade against Trump and his supporters, but also is very anti-Musk. Any rescue mission by SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is undesirable news flow for Democrats.”