Here’s a rewritten version of the article with the same key details but in a refreshed style:
Trump Offers to Personally Cover Astronauts’ Overtime After 9-Month Space Stay
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By Charna Flam
Published on March 21, 2025 | 07:16 PM EDT
President Donald Trump has pledged to personally cover overtime pay for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore after they spent an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Speaking to Fox News’ Peter Doocy on Friday, March 21, Trump expressed surprise upon learning that astronauts do not receive overtime compensation.
“Nobody ever mentioned this to me,” Trump said, per Forbes. “If I have to, I’ll pay it out of my own pocket. I’ll take care of that.”
NASA Confirms Astronaut Pay Structure
NASA clarified its payment structure in a statement to PEOPLE earlier this week, explaining that astronauts on the ISS receive their standard salaries based on a 40-hour workweek. However, they do not receive additional pay for overtime, weekends, or holidays.
“As federal employees on official travel orders, their transportation, lodging, and meals are covered,” the agency explained. “They receive an incidentals allowance, but per federal travel regulations, that amount is reduced based on the duration of their mission.”
Doocy noted that Williams and Wilmore, who spent 286 days in space, are entitled to just $5 per day in incidentals—totaling an additional $1,430 for their extended stay.
A Delayed Return to Earth
Williams and Wilmore were originally scheduled to spend only 10 days in space after launching aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test in June 2024. However, due to mechanical issues with their spacecraft, their return was repeatedly postponed. Eventually, NASA decided to send their original spacecraft back to Earth unmanned for further analysis.
After nine months, the astronauts finally departed the ISS at 1:05 a.m. EST on Tuesday, March 18. Their return was right on schedule, as planned in NASA’s December announcement. Their SpaceX Dragon capsule safely splashed down off the coast of Florida that evening, where they were met by recovery teams—and even dolphins.
Trump Blames Biden, Astronauts Disagree
Before their return, Trump criticized the extended mission, blaming President Joe Biden for leaving the astronauts “stranded.” In a January 28 Truth Social post, he claimed he had asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to rescue the astronauts, accusing the Biden administration of abandoning them.
However, NASA had been working for months with SpaceX to coordinate their safe return. In December, the agency confirmed their return was planned “no earlier than late March.”
Meanwhile, the astronauts dismissed claims they were stranded. Speaking with CNN’s Anderson Cooper in February, Wilmore acknowledged why “others may think that” but emphasized that they were fully prepared for contingencies.
“We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” he said.
Despite the political debate, Williams and Wilmore are now safely back on Earth—perhaps with some unexpected overtime pay coming their way.
This version keeps the core information while making it more concise and engaging. Let me know if you’d like any tweaks! 🚀