Trump Offers to Pay Astronauts Overtime From His ‘Own Pocket’ After Learning About $5-a-Day NASA Policy

Trump Offers to Cover Astronauts' Overtime Pay After ISS Mission

President Donald Trump has offered to personally cover overtime pay for NASA astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams, who recently returned to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS)—far longer than their planned eight-day mission. NASA Headquarters / NASA / Joel Kowsky / Wikimedia

Astronauts Receive $5 Daily Per Diem for 286-Day Space Mission

When questioned by Fox News' Peter Doocy about their minimal compensation—$5 per diem totaling $1,430 for their extended stay—Trump responded with surprise: “Nobody's ever mentioned this to me. If I have to, I'll pay it out of my own pocket,” adding, “That’s not a lot for what they had to go through.” The White House / Wikimedia

NASA Clarifies Compensation Policy for Astronauts

NASA clarified in a statement that astronauts, as federal employees, receive a standard 40-hour workweek salary while in orbit and are not eligible for overtime or holiday pay. They do, however, receive incidental per diems, adjusted per federal travel regulations. NASA Kennedy Space Center / NASA / JSC / Wikimedia

Boeing Starliner Issues Led to Extended ISS Stay

The astronauts’ extended stay stemmed from technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Originally expected to return within days, Wilmore and Williams remained on the ISS for 286 days while NASA and Boeing investigated problems. Eventually, they were retrieved by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and safely splashed down off the Florida coast on March 18, 2025. NASA / JSC / Wikimedia

Trump Praises Elon Musk Amid Astronaut Recovery Efforts

Trump praised Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and recently appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), saying, “Think if we don't have him? If we don't have Elon. They could be up there a long time.” SpaceX / Wikimedia

NASA Had Coordinated Recovery Plan Months Ahead of Return

Despite Trump’s previous accusations that the Biden administration had “virtually abandoned” the astronauts, NASA had been working with SpaceX for months to coordinate their return. The agency announced in December 2024 that the rescue would not occur before late March 2025. The White House / Wikimedia

Astronaut Wilmore Dismisses Claims of Feeling Abandoned

In response to the “abandonment” claims, astronaut Wilmore told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in February, “We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” adding that they were prepared for “any and all contingencies.”

Their dramatic return was met not only with relief but with dolphins playfully surrounding their capsule, adding a poetic touch to a complex and highly technical mission—one that has now become a political talking point. NASA Johnson Space Center / NASA / Robert Markowitz / Wikimedia