'Coming up to get you': Trump assures Sunita Williams's return
What's the story
US President Donald Trump is not happy with NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore staying at the International Space Station (ISS) for so long.
In a recent Oval Office address, he said, "We love you and we're coming up to get you. You shouldn't have been up there so long."
The message was for the two astronauts who are gearing up to return to Earth after a long nine-month mission.
Critique
Trump criticizes Biden for extended astronaut mission
During his address, Trump also took a dig at former President Joe Biden for the astronauts' long stay in space.
He said, "The most incompetent president in our history has allowed that to happen to you, but this President won't let it happen."
Trump revealed that he had given the green light to Elon Musk to prepare a spacecraft for the astronauts' return.
He said, "Elon is right now preparing a ship to go up and get them. He is preparing to go up, I think in two weeks."
Challenges
Williams and Wilmore's mission extended due to technical issues
Williams and Wilmore's mission was originally scheduled for eight days, but has since been extended due to technical complications with Boeing's Starliner capsule.
The spacecraft encountered multiple issues on its way to the ISS, prompting NASA to consider it unsafe for crew return.
In September 2024, SpaceX launched a Crew Dragon capsule with the intention of rescuing the astronauts from their prolonged stay at the ISS.
Humor
Trump's light-hearted comments on astronauts' extended stay
In a light-hearted moment during his address, Trump joked about the astronauts' prolonged stay at the ISS. "I hope they like each other, maybe they love each other, I don't know," he said.
He also commented on Williams's hair. "And I see the woman with the wild hair, good, solid head of hair she's got. There's no kidding, there's no games with her hair," Trump said.